Connor McMichael is a restricted free agent this summer after completing a two-year, $4.2 million bridge contract he signed in July of 2024.
On Thursday, during Washington Capitals Breakdown Day, McMichael revealed for the first time that his representative had spoken to the team about an extension earlier in the year.
“Kind of had a few talks during the season,” McMichael said. “Then, once it got down to the push for the playoffs, we kind of just wanted to focus on the year and see how it played out. Yeah, so I’m sure we’ll sort it out here soon.”
While McMichael made the upcoming negotiations sound straightforward, they could be anything but. The Capitals’ 25-year-old forward is two years away from unrestricted free agency, and the NHL salary cap is rising $8.5 million to $104 million this summer.
McMichael is also coming off an uneven campaign after a breakout year in 2024-25, where he recorded career highs in goals (26) and points (57). This season, McMichael saw double-digit dips in points (11) and goals (12).
“Yeah, I don’t know what to really pinpoint it exactly on,” McMichael said. “But I think for me, I’ve always prided myself when the games get harder, games get more important. I think I like to say I step up and I try to play at my best. And I thought I did that this year. I thought when we needed wins, I thought I stepped up and was able to help the team win. And that’s what’s kind of frustrating. I’m sure a lot of guys could say this, but if you kind of had a little bit more in the tank throughout the whole year, we would definitely be in the playoffs, and so yeah, it hurts looking back on a little bit.”
Statistically speaking, McMichael’s downturn this season appears driven by struggles to get the puck on net, firing 35 fewer shots on goal than in 2024-25, combined with poor finishing. McMichael’s shooting percentage (9.9) this season was two points below his career average of 11.9 percent.
“It was a weird year,” McMichael said. “I think if you look at the previous year, I think it felt like everything went right for us. Everything was kind of falling into place. The Ovi chase, everything that went down. This year, right from the start, it felt like guys were going down, obviously, Dubie (Pierre-Luc Dubois) pretty early. So, yeah, it was disappointing. It felt like it was a frustrating year for most of the guys on the team.
“Saying goodbye to guys like John (Carlson) and Dowder (Nic Dowd) definitely stung as well. It’s definitely a year that I’m honestly proud of how we battled back at the end of the year. I thought we made a really good push. We were just as in it as the other teams. So that’s disappointing, but there’s definitely parts of the year you look back on, and it feels like we let it slip away a little bit. ”
According to AFPAnalytics, a McMichael long-term extension is expected to cost approximately $6.4 million for four years. The two parties could also opt to sign another shorter-term deal, projected at $4.7 million over two years.
If the Capitals and their young “savior” can’t come to a deal by July 1, McMichael would be free to sign an offer sheet with another team, but the Capitals would have an opportunity to match or receive draft pick compensation in return.
McMichael said he plans to stick around in the DC area until early to mid-May and then spend the rest of the summer in his native Toronto, where he plans to train again at Gary Roberts Performance in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
“I don’t know exactly when I’m going to come back, probably mid-August like usual, and get back to hanging around the guys and getting ready,” he said.
