Promising Capitals draft pick Chase Priskie has informed Washington that he will not be signing with the team. The defenseman was drafted in 2016 with the Capitals sixth-round pick and has been a standout star for the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

The news was first reported by TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

With this decision, Priskie will instead become a free agent on August 15 where any NHL team can sign him.

Chase Priskie, WSH 6th round pick in 2016, has informed the Capitals he will NOT be signing with them and will become UFA on Aug. 15. Priskie finished his senior season with Quinnipiac and should be a highly sought after free agent defenceman.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) April 3, 2019

Priskie has been a standout for during his four years with the Bobcats and was a nominee for the Hobey Baker award his senior year.

After his junior year, despite the Capitals wanting him to join him already, Priskie raised some eyebrows when he elected to stay with Quinnipiac. “My initial intentions were to leave and sign,” Priskie said to the New Haven Register. “But I thought I could leave more of a legacy at this program. I want to be one of the best players to ever come out of here.”

The Capitals couldn’t sign Priskie to a contract this season, because they’ve reached 50 contract limit, but they could have signed him to a contract that started next year. Priskie also could have signed an amateur tryout with the Hershey Bears, like Joe Snively did last month.

The Capitals have a deep prospect pool of defensemen which means signing with a different organization could increase Priskie’s likelihood of getting to the NHL sooner.

This is not the first time the Capitals may lose a promising pick. Three years ago Notre Dame alum Thomas DiPauli went to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 2012 fourth-round pick waited until after the August 15 deadline to become an unrestricted free agent.