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Capitals re-sign Shane Gersich to one-year, two-way contract

By Ian Oland

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October 14, 2020 1:07 pm

The Washington Capitals have re-signed Shane Gersich to a one-year, two-way deal that will pay him $700,000 at the NHL level and $150,000 with the Hershey Bears.

The 24-year-old forward played two playoff games (Round 2 against Pittsburgh) while a member of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup champion team.

A tenacious forechecker despite his size, Gersich scored a career-high 10 goals in 54 games last season with the Hershey Bears, including his first career hat trick on January 31. However, Gerich’s development arguably took a step back after he registered fewer points in 2019-20 than his rookie season in the AHL (24 vs. 18). He has not returned to the NHL since playing three regular-season games in 2018.

Over the years, Gersich has shown off his dazzling dangling ability with a no-move goal in Da Beauty League and a spin-o-rama goal in college.

Gersich participated in Washington’s Phase 3 Training Camp but was ultimately one of three cuts from its 2020 bubble team.

Since then, Gersich has made waves on social media over the offseason for his sick flips while training.

The 2016 NCAA champion was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Draft.

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ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Shane Gersich to a one-year, two-way contract ($700,000/$150,000), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Gersich, 24, finished last season with 18 points (10g, 8a) and a career-high 10 goals in 54 games with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Chaska, Minn., native recorded his first career AHL hat trick on Jan. 31 at Bridgeport.

The 6’0”, 180-pound forward made his NHL debut on March 28, 2018, against the New York Rangers and appeared in three games in the 2017-18 season, recording an assist. Gersich also played in two playoff games, both in the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, en route to the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup.

Gersich recorded 24 points (8g, 16a) in 66 games with the Bears in the 2018-19 season, his first full professional season. Gersich added another three points (1g, 2a) in nine playoff games with the Bears. He led Bears’ rookies in power play goals (2) and ranked second in points per game (0.36) among Hershey rookies with at least 10 games played. In 120 career games with Hershey, Gersich has recorded 42 points (18g, 24a).

Gersich recorded 29 points (13g, 16a) in 40 games with the University of North Dakota in his junior season in 2017-18, making him the second-highest goal scorer at North Dakota in his final collegiate season. Gersich also recorded four game-winning goals, tied for the most on the Fighting Hawks last season.

Gersich finished his NCAA career with 77 points (43g, 34a) in 117 games. Gersich was a NCAA All-Star Team Honorable Mention in his sophomore year after leading North Dakota in points (21g, 16a in 40 games), a season that included nine multi-point games. In his 2015-16 freshman season, Gersich’s nine goals ranked third among freshman at North Dakota. Gersich scored the opening goal in the 2016 National Championship, which led to an eventual 5-1 win.

The Capitals selected Gersich in the fifth round, 134th overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Update: This post previously contained a photo that was included in error.

Headline photo: Cara Bahniuk/RMNB