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2022 NHL Free Agency

Report: Capitals Were In On Marchment, Mikheyev In Free Agency

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Capitals + Mason Marchment?

The Washington Capitals got to work to open free agency, as the team made a splash with some big-name signings like Darcy Kuemper and Dylan Strome. And apparently, there were in on a couple other names to boot.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on his final “32 Thoughts” podcast that the Capitals were in on UFAs Mason Marchment and Ilya Mikheyev.

Marchment is coming off a breakout season in Florida that saw him dish 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 games in 54 games for the Panthers. The 6-4, 209-pound left wing ended up inking a four-year, $18 million deal ($4.5 million AAV) with the Dallas Stars.

Mikheyev was also supposedly on Washington’s radar following his 21-goal, 32-point season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 27-year-old right wing ended up inking a four-year, $19 million deal ($4.75 AAV) with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Capitals still ended up securing secondary scoring by picking up Strome and acquiring Connor Brown from the Ottawa Senators. The team also re-signed Marcus Johansson and added Henrik Borgstrom on a two-way deal.

Washington needed some help on the forward lines, as Nicklas Backstrom remains out indefinitely after hip resurfacing surgery while Tom Wilson will sit out until December as he recovers from ACL surgery. In addition, Carl Hagelin’s future remains in flux as he recovers from a ruptured choroid he suffered in a freak accident at practice.

Backstrom intends to return to play, but it is unclear if he will be back for the 2022-23 regular season. It is also unclear whether or not No. 62 will be able to return. He underwent two eye surgeries and has to work to regain his depth perception, but he will never regain all of his vision.