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Martin Fehervary signs three-year extension worth $2.675 million per season

By Ian Oland

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July 4, 2023 3:44 pm

The Washington Capitals last major free agent of the summer is now signed.

The Capitals announced that Martin Fehervary has agreed to a three-year extension worth $2.675 million per season. The Slovakian defenseman was a restricted free agent.

Fehervary is now the team’s seventh NHL defenseman under contract for next season after Brian MacLellan acquired Joel Edmundson from the Montreal Canadiens for two draft picks. Per PuckPedia, the team has $99k cap space left with Max Pacioretty starting the season on injured reserve.

With the bridge deal, Fehervary will remain a restricted free agent in 2026, allowing the Capitals to negotiate an additional contract before he hits the open market. Fehervary will, however, be eligible for arbitration for that final contract.

The 23-year-old rearguard had 16 points (6g, 10a) in 67 games last season — his second full campaign in the NHL. He led the Capitals in hits with 217.

Fehervary missed most of December due to a hit by Milan Lucic, and declined an invitation to play for Slovakia’s the IIHF World Championships in May to rehab a lingering back injury. While healthy, Fehervary was a mainstay in the Capitals’ top-four and was most frequently paired with Nick Jensen.

Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:

Capitals Re-sign Defenseman Martin Fehervary

Washington’s hits leader in 2022-23 signs three-year contract extension

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Martin Fehervary to a three-year contract extension, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Fehervary’s contract will carry an average annual value of $2.675 million.

Fehervary, 23, recorded 16 points (6g, 10a) in 67 games with Washington in 2022-23. The 6’2”, 204-pound defenseman set a single-season career high in assists and led the Capitals in hits (217) and ranked tied for second on the team in blocked shots (128). Fehervary averaged 20:00 of ice time per game and finished the season with the sixth-most minutes played on Washington (1,340:01).

During the 2021-22 season, Fehervary recorded 17 points (8g, 9a) in 79 games, ranking first among rookie defensemen in goals and tied for sixth in points. In addition, Fehervary’s 251 hits led the Capitals and ranked seventh in the NHL among all skaters. Among rookies, Fehervary ranked second in hits and sixth in blocked shots (117). The Bratislava, Slovakia native also ranked tied for first on the Capitals in games played (79) and fifth in time on ice per game (19:39). During Washington’s First Round playoff series against the Florida Panthers, Fehervary led the Capitals with 38 hits in six games. Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Fehervary ranks fifth in the NHL in hits (468) among defensemen.

Fehervary, who made his NHL debut at age 19 on Oct. 2, 2019 at St. Louis, has recorded 34 points (14g, 20a) in 152 career games with Washington. The Capitals selected Fehervary in the second round (46th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

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