The Washington Capitals have re-signed Dylan Strome to a five-year deal worth $5 million a season. This is the right call for both Strome and the Capitals.
Re-signing Dylan Strome was the right move for the Washington Capitals
Strome signed with the Capitals this past offseason after playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes in the past. He signed a one-year deal worth $3.5 million, and the Capitals have been rewarded with his best season.
Strome has put up 36 points this season, including 11 goals and 25 assists. He has been a great center for the team, as he is second in face-off wins and has a face-off percentage of 48.5% on the year.
The Capitals took a chance signing Strome this past offseason after he left the Chicago Blackhawks, and so far, that chance has paid off on the ice. He is producing offensively and is having his best season numbers-wise as well.
Strome currently has a corsi percentage of 59.3% in all situations, the highest in his entire career. He is consistently playing over 16 minutes a night, which was not the case during his time in Chicago.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE STROME‼️
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 3, 2023
The Washington Capitals have re-signed center Dylan Strome to a five-year contract extension. Strome’s contract will carry an average annual value of $5.0 million.#ALLCAPS
Personally, I watched Strome a lot during his time in Chicago. There were a lot of ups and downs for him playing for Jeremy Colliton and Derek King the past few seasons. The Blackhawks would play him with Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, and he would be effective but then the next week, he was in the bottom six, not doing nearly as much on the ice.
It is great to see him now thriving in a different environment, and signing him for just five million could pay off if Strome gets more comfortable and takes on a bigger role. He is only 25 and has a lot of hockey ahead of him.
Why this is the right call for the Capitals.
The Washington Capitals are trying to be as competitive as possible for Alex Ovechkin. This season, Ovechkin has scored 32 goals, of which Strome has assisted on eight. That is 25 percent of Ovechkin’s goals this season. Only Evgeny Kuznetsov has assisted more Ovechkin goals this season.
Strome is a former third-overall draft pick and is only 25 years old. This contract will expire when he is 31 and will keep him in Washington through 2027-28. He now has the longest contract on the entire team, and considering where the salary cap could be in the next few seasons, five million dollars is a pretty fair price for a top-six center. This could even look like a steal down the line. Congratulations to Dylan Strome and the Washington Capitals on a good contract!