We’ve got some breaking hockey/dog news to report. Fourth line center Jay Beagle has been re-signed to an expensive three-year, $5.25 million contract. Beags’ annual average salary is $1.75 mil.
Last season, Beagle had career highs in, well, virtually everything. He also was strong in the playoffs, leading the NHL in face-off percentage through the second round.
Beagle may be the Caps’ sole unrestricted free agent to re-sign as Mike Green, Eric Fehr, and Joel Ward all appear ready to find new teams.
More details from the Caps:
#Caps re-signed C Jay Beagle to 3-year extension. AAV: $1.75 mil. Salaries: $1.45 mil in '15-16, $1.75 in 16-17, 17-18. $300K bonus, 15-16.
— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) June 29, 2015
The Washington Capitals have re-signed center Jay Beagle to a three-year, $5.25 million contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
The Capitals will host a conference call with Beagle today at 3:45 p.m.
“We are pleased to re-sign Jay to a new three-year contract,” MacLellan said. “Jay is a hard-working player who plays multiple positions and is an excellent face-off man and penalty killer. Jay has improved steadily since joining our organization and has always brought his game to a different level in the playoffs.”
Beagle, 29, set career highs in goals (10), assists (10) and points (20) in 2014-15 and tied his career high in games played (62). The 6’3”, 212-pound center earned a career-high three points (2g, 1a) on Feb. 11 at San Jose and recorded three of his four career multi-point games last season. The Capitals are 17-0-4 all-time when Beagle scores a goal and were 15-0-1 in 204-15 when he earned a point. In 254 career NHL games with Washington (2008-15), Beagle has registered 47 points (23g, 24a) and 97 penalty minutes.
During the 2015 playoffs, Beagle earned five points (1g, 4a) in 14 games and scored his first career playoff game-winning goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the NY Rangers. The Calgary, Alberta, native finished the postseason ranked first in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (63.8%). Beagle has registered eight points (3g, 5a) in 37 career playoff games.
Beagle won back-to-back Calder Cup championships with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2009 and 2010 and tallied 95 points (47 goals, 48 assists) in 211 career AHL games. Beagle originally signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent on March 26, 2008. He won a Kelly Cup championship with the Idaho Steelheads of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) in 2007 after spending two years at the University of Alaska-Anchorage (2005-07).
