The Washington Capitals are keeping two key cogs of the Hershey Bears’ 2024 Calder Cup team around for next season as the team attempts to three-peat as champions.
Center Riley Sutter agreed to a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$150,000) while defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell inked a one-year, two-way deal (775,000/$350,000) for the 2024-25 season. Both players will be restricted free agents again next summer.
The 6-foot-4, 211-pound Sutter plays a Nic Dowd-like role in Hershey, centering the fourth line and shutting down opposing top-end forwards. He’s also heavily used on the penalty kill.
Sutter notched career highs in goals (9), assists (14), and points (23) during the 2023-24 season. When he returned from injury in the playoffs, he notched one assist in 13 games. Along with Bogdan Trineyev, Sutter helped create the chaos that led to Matt Strome’s Calder Cup-winning goal in overtime of Game 6 against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Sutter previously formed a powerful trio with Beck Malenstyn and Mason Morelli in 2023, leading the Bears to that year’s Calder Cup championship. Malenstyn and Morelli both played NHL games last season.
Sutter was drafted by the Capitals in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Häman Aktell, called by head coach Todd Nelson “our best defenseman in the playoffs,” registered 9 points (5g, 4a) in 17 postseason games, tying for first among AHL defensemen in goals (5).
The 6-foot-3, 216-pound rearguard played six games in Washington. After playing with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League, he signed with the Capitals as a free agent.
Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:
Capitals Re-sign Riley Sutter and Hardy Häman Aktell
Calder Cup champions sign one-year, two-way contracts
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Riley Sutter to a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$150,000) and defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell to a one-year, two-way contract (775,000/$350,000), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Sutter, 24, established single-season career highs in goals (9), assists (14), points (23), shots (91) and plus-minus rating (+9) in 66 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) in 2023-24. The 6’4”, 211-pound forward added one assist in 13 playoff games, helping Hershey capture its second-straight Calder Cup championship. During the 2022-23 season, Sutter recorded 12 points (5g, 7a) in 69 regular-season games with Hershey and six points (2g, 4a) in 20 playoff games, including the game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals. Sutter, who was drafted by the Capitals in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, has registered 56 points (17g, 39a) in 224 career AHL games with Hershey.
Häman Aktell, 25, recorded 11 points (2g, 9a) in 55 games with Hershey in 2023-24. During the Calder Cup Playoffs, Häman Aktell registered nine points (5g, 4a) in 17 games, ranking tied for first among AHL defensemen in goals (5). The 6’3”, 216-pound defenseman also appeared in six games with the Capitals, making his NHL debut on Oct. 21, 2023 at Montreal. On Oct. 29, Häman Aktell recorded his first career NHL point and assist vs. San Jose. Prior to signing with Washington on April 27, 2023, the Kage, Sweden native played with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he recorded 63 points (17g, 46a) in 151 career SHL games. Häman Aktell was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
