Hold your butts, you guys. The Capitals have just announced another offseason signing.
Tuesday afternoon, the Caps inked forward Wayne Simpson to a one-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old will make the league minimum at the NHL level ($650k) and ($140k) with the Hershey Bears.
Simpson (@waynetrain2013) notched 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) with @AHLBruins last season. Also notched 14 playoff points #HBH pic.twitter.com/3CAx16Dfsn
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) July 11, 2017
According to a Bears release, the right wing is coming off a career year with Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. Simpson scored 16 goals, led the team in assists (33), and tied for second on the team in points (49). Simpson also posted 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) during Providence’s Eastern Conference Final playoff run, good for second on the team.
This is Simpson’s first NHL contract. He was originally signed as a free agent by South Carolina and played two seasons for the Bears ECHL affiliate from 2013-2015. During the 2014-15 season, Simpson helped lead the Stingrays to the Kelly Cup Finals, scoring an ECHL record 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) in 27 playoff games.
Capitals fans were excited after the deal was announced.
I definitely read that as Wayne Simmonds
— BabcockToToronto (@BabcockToronto) July 11, 2017
conference finals here we come
— (@godthews) July 11, 2017
raise the banner
— ㅤ (@wvupls) July 11, 2017
The Bears also announced the re-signing goaltender Parker Milner to an AHL deal for the 2017-18 season.
More from the Capitals:
The Washington Capitals have signed right wing Wayne Simpson to a one-year, two-way contract ($650,000/$140,000), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Simpson, 27, registered 49 points (16g, 33a) in 76 games with the Providence Bruins (AHL) last season, setting AHL career highs in points, goals, assists and games played. The 5’11”, 194-pound right wing led Providence in assists and plus/minus (+22) during the 2016-17 season, ranked second in points and fifth in goals. In addition, Simpson earned a career-high three assists on Nov. 23 at Rochester and recorded a career-long five-game point streak Nov. 18 to Nov. 25 (3g, 5a). The Boxborough, Mass., native has earned 86 points (25g, 61a) in 148 career AHL games with Providence and Portland. He also recorded 115 points (56g, 59a) in 159 games with Union College (NCAA) from 2009-13 and was named team MVP his senior year (2012-13).
Headline photo: @Capitals
