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Capitals sign goaltender Zach Fucale to two-year, two-way contract extension

By Ian Oland

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March 28, 2021 6:20 pm

The Washington Capitals announced they signed minor-league goaltender Zach Fucale to a two-year, two-way contract extension that will keep the 2013 second-round pick in the organization through 2023.

According to the Capitals, Fucale will earn $750,000 at the NHL level and $150,000 in the AHL during the 2021-22 season and $750,000/$160,000 in 2022-23 with a guaranteed minimum of $180,000.

Fucale is 5-1-0 with a 1.49 goals against average and a .942 save percentage in Hershey this season.

The contract extension comes as Fucale recently debuted a stunning new Hershey Bears mask painted by Sylabrush.

Fucale now joins Vitek Vanecek and Pheonix Copley as the only other Capitals goaltenders under contract for next season. Ilya Samsonov is a restricted free agent after this season concludes.

The Capitals’ full press release is below.

Capitals Re-sign Zach Fucale

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed goaltender Zach Fucale to a two-year, two-way contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Fucale will earn $750,000/$150,000 during the 2021-22 season and $750,000/$160,000 during the 2022-23 season (with a guaranteed minimum of $180,000).

Fucale, 25, has a 5-1-0 record with a 1.49 goals against average and a .942 save percentage in six games with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. The 6’2”, 187-pound goaltender has the lowest goals against average in the AHL among goaltenders with six games played.

The Laval, Quebec, native posted a record of 10-8-4 with a 2.36 goals against average and a .928 save percentage in 24 games with the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL in 2019-20. Fucale also appeared in one game with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, stopping 12 of the 15 shots he faced.

Fucale won gold with Team Canada at the 2019 Spengler Cup after going 3-0 with a 0.33 goals against average and a .986 save percentage. Fucale posted back-to-back shutouts, including one in the gold medal game, and he was named the tournament’s all-star goaltender.

Fucale played in five games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in 2018-19, recording a 1-3-0 record with a 2.51 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.

In 75 career AHL games with Hershey, the St. John’s Icecaps, Laval Rocket, Chicago and Syracuse, Fucale has a 33-33-7 record with a 2.95 goals against average, a .903 save percentage and two shutouts. Additionally, in another 111 career games in the ECHL with the Brampton Beast, the Fort Wayne Komets and Orlando, Fucale has posted a 57-32-11 record with a 2.97 goals against average and a .904 save percentage and eight shutouts.

Fucale was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with their second round pick, 36th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

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