Wednesday morning, the Washington Capitals announced that they have re-signed goaltender Pheonix Copley to a two-year, $1.3 million contract. His new contract is two-way contract ($650,000/$200,000) during this upcoming 2017-18 season and one-way contract ($650,000) during the 2018-19 season.
Copley had a two-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals back in 2014 and was assigned to the Hershey Bears. Copley was traded to the St. Louis Blues, along with Troy Brouwer and a third-round pick, for TJ Oshie in 2015.
Now, Copley is back in Washington after a trade deadline deal last season where the Caps gained Kevin Shattenkirk and sent Zach Sanford, Brad Malone, a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional second-round pick in 2019 to the Blues. The Capitals have always liked Copley and re-signed him before he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Goaltending coach Mitch Korn told the Washington Post, “I don’t think there’s a lot really different about him in the last two years other than the normal growth that a prospect goes through, where he got a chance to continue to play games, continue to grow, continue to find his game and continue to mature…It’s extremely difficult to get goaltending in this era, especially to help your American League team and to provide depth for your National League team. The hardest position to get is a No. 3 guy.”
In the spring, Copley played well in the postseason, leading the Hershey Bears to the second round of playoffs. The Bears ultimately fell to the Providence Bruins in seven games. Copley left Game Four with a lower-body injury and did not return in the series.
The Washington Capitals have re-signed goaltender Pheonix Copley to a two-year, $1.3 million contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Copley’s contract is two-way ($650,000/$200,000) during the 2017-18 season and one-way ($650,000) during the 2018-19 season.
Copley, 25, posted a 26-11-3 record with one shutout, a 2.25 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in 41 AHL games with the Chicago Wolves and Hershey Bears in 2016-17. The North Pole, Alaska, native ranked seventh in the AHL in goals-against average last season, tied for seventh in wins and tied for eighth in save percentage. Copley has posted a 58-31-6 record with seven shutouts, a 2.42 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage in 104 career AHL games with Hershey and Chicago.
Copley has appeared in two career NHL games with the St. Louis Blues. The 6’4”, 196-pound goaltender made his NHL debut on Feb. 27, 2016 at Nashville and made 24 saves in his first career NHL start on Jan. 21, 2017 at Winnipeg. The Capitals acquired Copley from the Blues on Feb. 27.
Headline photo: TodaysSlapshot
