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Dmitry Orlov finally re-signs with the Capitals for one-year, $2.57 million

By Chris Gordon

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September 21, 2016 3:39 pm

After months of waiting, the Washington Capitals have re-signed restricted free agent Dmitry Orlov to one-year contract worth $2.57 million. With Washington’s training camp beginning on Friday, the need to finalize a deal was pressing, though Orlov is currently competing for Russia at the World Cup of Hockey. A source close to the negotiations told RMNB the deal was imminent shortly before the deal was announced by the team.

With Orlov’s salary on the books, the Capitals have less than a million dollars in cap room, according to GeneralFanager.com. Orlov, 25, played in all 82 games last season, posting impressive metrics, despite being stuck on the third pairing. He missed the entire previous season with a wrist injury suffered at the World Championships. Orlov’s minutes are expected to increase this year. In August, head coach Barry Trotz said he envisioned Orlov in a top-four role playing alongside Matt Niskanen or John Carlson.

Here’s the press release from the Caps:

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Dmitry Orlov to a one-year, $2.57 million contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Orlov, 25, registered 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 82 games with the Capitals last season. The 5’11”, 212-pound defenseman played in all 82 games in 2015-16 for the first time in his career after missing the 2014-15 season due to injury. Orlov set career highs in goals, assists, points, plus/minus (+8) and game-winning goals (3) last season and ranked tied for first among Capitals defensemen in goals and third in assists and points. He tallied an assist in his 200th NHL/Capitals game on April 9 at St. Louis and earned two assists and was plus-4 against New Jersey on Feb. 20. Orlov extended his career-long points streak to four games with his third career multi-point game (1g, 1a) on Nov. 25 against Winnipeg. He has earned 60 points (14 goals, 46 assists) in 201 career NHL games with the Capitals and was drafted by Washington in the second round, 55th overall, in the 2009 NHL Draft. Orlov was the 20th defenseman selected in 2009 and ranks tied for ninth in assists, 10th in points, 11th in games played and tied for 12th in goals among defenseman in the 2009 NHL Draft class.

The Novokuznetsk, Russia, native has represented Russia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, two World Championships (2014, 2016), two World Junior Championships (2010, 2011) and two World U18 Championships (2008, 2009). Orlov won a gold medal with Russia at the 2014 World Championship and won a gold medal at the 2011 World Junior Championship and was named to the Media All-Star team. In addition, he earned a bronze medal with Russia at the 2016 World Championship.