Capitals Sign Boston College Center Zach Sanford to Three-Year, Entry-Level Deal

July 11, 2016 5:44 pm

Photo: Amanda Bowen

Yesterday, news broke via Twitter that Capitals’ 2013 second-round pick Zach Sanford had decided to forego his junior and senior years at Boston College and turn pro.

The Washington Capitals are making a push to sign sophomore F Zach Sanford out of BC, I'm told. Eagles have already lost six players early.

— Brad E. Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) July 10, 2016

Sources indicating that Zach Sanford has informed BC he is in fact turning pro. Not sure if officially signed yet but he is gone.

— BC Hockey Blog (@bchockeyblog1) July 10, 2016

Today, the Capitals made the signing official.

Sanford is a towering pivot who has some skill to his game. During his sophomore season with Boston College, Sanford was nearly a point per game player, scoring 13 goals and registering 39 points in 41 games.

Signing Sanford — especially after the centerman seemed poised on returning to Boston College next year — suggests that the Capitals seem resigned to losing the rights of 2012 fourth-round pick Thomas DiPauli, who has until August 15 to sign with Washington before becoming an unrestricted free agent. DiPauli scored 14 goals and tallied 32 points for the Fighting Irish during his senior season. The Capitals reportedly invited DiPauli to Development Camp, but he declined to participate.

Sanford will join the Hershey Bears next season. Here’s what their depth chart looks like now courtesy of Kyle Mace.

More from the Capitals:

The Washington Capitals have signed center Zach Sanford to a three-year, entry-level contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Sanford, 21, registered 39 points (13 goals, 26 assists) in 41 games with Boston College (NCAA) in 2015-16. The 6’4”, 191-pound center led the team in assists, ranked third in points and fifth in goals. In addition, Sanford was second on the team in plus/minus (27) and tallied 44 penalty minutes during the 2015-16 season.

The Salem, Mass., native registered 63 points (22 goals, 43 assists) in 79 career games with Boston College. Sanford was drafted by the Capitals in the second round, 61st overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.