The Washington Capitals announced that they signed 2022 third-round draft selections Alexander Suzdalev and Ludwig Persson to three-year, entry-level contracts.
Both Swedish wingers will earn $775k in each of the first two seasons of their deals, $800k in the third, and $82,500 in the AHL.
NEWS | The Capitals have signed forward Alexander Suzdalev to a three-year entry level contract.#ALLCAPS | @FTX_Officialhttps://t.co/5y3wqVs01k
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 15, 2022
Suzdalev was the first of the pair to be drafted in the third round (70th overall) and comes out of HV71’s junior program. He finished tenth in J20 Nationell (Swedish spelling) scoring with 51 points from 45 games and second among all U-18 skaters.
The Russian-born, Swedish-raised winger’s season was good for the tenth-best U-18 season in league history. He out-scored points pace-wise in his age 17 season players like Erik Karlsson, Kevin Fiala, Jakub Vrana, Adrian Kempe, and Loui Eriksson among others when they were 17 in the league. He has been invited to Sweden’s U-20 summer camp which begins the process of making their 2023 World Juniors roster.
He won a gold medal with Team Sweden at the 2022 World U-18 Championships.
NEWS | The Capitals have signed forward Ludwig Persson to a three-year entry level contract.#ALLCAPS | @FTX_Officialhttps://t.co/O53s774l6W
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 15, 2022
Persson, drafted 85th overall, had an even better season in the J20 Nationell, finishing with 61 points in 41 games which was good for second overall in the league and first among all U-19 skaters. That is the fifth-best, all-time season by a U-19 player.
He made his SHL debut for Frolunda during the 2019-20 season, becoming the youngest player to ever do so for the team. Like Suzdalev, he was also invited to Sweden’s U-20 summer camp.
Here are the full press releases from the Capitals:
Capitals sign Alexander Suzdalev
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed forward Alexander Suzdalev to a three-year entry level contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Suzdalev will earn $775,000 in each of the first two seasons of the deal and $800,000 (NHL) in the third and $82,500 in the AHL.
The Capitals selected Suzdalev, 18, with the 70th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The 6’2″, 172-pound left wing led HV71 (Sweden-Jr.) in scoring and ranked 10th in Sweden’s top junior league with 51 points (15g, 36a) in 45 games. Suzdalev added four points (3g, 1a) in five playoff games, which ranked tied for first on the team.
Suzdalev also appeared in five games with HV71 of HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden-2), in three games with HV71’s J18 Nationell club (2g-3a-5p) and in one game with the J18 Region club (1g-2a-3p).
In addition, Suzdalev won a gold medal with Team Sweden at the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships, skating in six games.
Suzdalev was ranked sixth among European left wings and 26th among all European skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Capitals sign Ludwig Persson
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed forward Ludwig Persson to a three-year entry level contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Persson will earn $775,000 in each of the first two seasons of the deal and $800,000 (NHL) in the third and $82,500 in the AHL.
The Capitals selected Persson, 18, with the 85th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The 6’0″, 185-pound left wing recorded 61 points (25g, 36a) in 41 games with Frölunda (Sweden-Jr.) in 2021-22, which led the team and ranked second in Sweden’s top junior league. Persson added three goals in three playoff games.
The Gothenburg, Sweden native also appeared in 10 games with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Persson recorded one goal in three games for Sweden’s U20 team last season and five points (4g, 1a) in three games for the U19 team.
Persson was ranked 11th among European left wings and 46th among all European skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
