Thursday afternoon, the Washington Capitals announced two organizational signings. The Caps have signed the 28th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, Lucas Johansen, to a three-year, entry-level contract. Johansen, the 19-year-old younger brother of the Predators’ Ryan Johansen, has 36 points in 60 games with WHL Kelowna and is second among the team’s defensemen in goals, points, and assists.
The team also announced it has signed 2015 sixth-round pick Colby Williams, who is currently playing in Hershey. The 22-year-old defenseman turned pro this season after spending his entire junior career with the Regina Pats. Williams has 13 points in 49 games with Hershey.
The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Lucas Johansen to a three-year, entry-level contract and defenseman Colby Williams to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning with the 2017-18 season, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Johansen will remain with Kelowna (WHL) this season and Williams will remain with Hershey (AHL).
Johansen, 19, has registered 36 points (6g, 30a) in 60 games with the Kelowna Rockets (WHL) this season and ranks second among Rockets defensemen in points, assists and goals. Last season, Johansen registered 49 points (10 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games with Kelowna and led the team’s blueliners in points, goals and assists and ranked third among WHL defensemen in power-play assists (25). The 6’2”, 177-pound defenseman was teammates with Capitals prospect Madison Bowey in 2014-15 and helped the Rockets win the WHL championship. Johansen has earned 90 points (16 goals, 74 assists) in 190 career WHL games with Kelowna and was drafted by the Capitals in the first round, 28th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Williams, 22, has earned 13 points (3g, 10a) in 49 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) this season. The 6’0”, 195-pound defenseman made his AHL debut and tallied his first AHL point with an assist on Oct. 22 against Bridgeport. Williams recorded two points (1g, 1a) on Nov. 4 at Springfield, including the game-winning goal in overtime for first AHL goal. Williams played for the Regina Pats (WHL) for six seasons from 2010-16 and registered 104 points (25g, 79a) in 211 career games. In addition, he served as captain of the Pats during the 2015-16 season. He was drafted by the Capitals in the sixth round, 173rd overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Video
A beautiful pass by Johansen leads to a Kelowna goal.
Johansen goal
Headline photo: Jeffrey T. Barnes
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