Ethen Frank is back in the fold through the 2027-28 season after the 28-year-old forward signed a two-year, $4 million contract extension with the Washington Capitals on Wednesday morning.
The deal is a $1.25 million raise from the $775K Frank made during his previous two-year deal. Frank will make $1.5 million in salary and a $500K signing bonus in 2026-27 and a $2 million salary during 2027-28, per Puck Pedia. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the contract’s completion.
The extension comes as Frank is having a career year in the NHL, recording 23 points in 52 games. Frank’s 11 goals are tied with Ryan Leonard for the eighth-most on the team. And he’s making the most out of his 12:44 average ice time, too. According to Capitals PR, Frank’s 11 goals are tied for the seventh most in the NHL among skaters who receive less than 13:00 of ice time per game.
After initially not making the team out of training camp, Frank was recalled from Hershey on October 27 with Dylan Strome injured. A different player, Frank exhibited a newfound tenacity along the boards, fitting in as a bottom-six forward, and was a more consistent point-producer.
With Frank on the ice at five-on-five, the Capitals have outscored their opponents 29 to 21, despite the forward starting outside the offensive zone 70.3 percent of the time. He’s also received considerably more ice time on the power play this season, 84:54 minutes, and has posted two goals and four points with the Capitals up a man.
On top of his more rugged, effective five-on-five style, Frank remains one of the fastest players in the NHL. The two-time winner of the AHL’s Fastest Skater competition owns the fastest max skating speed (23.52 MPH) among Capitals skaters this season. NHL Edge statistics rank Frank in the 97th percentile among NHL players in top skating speed.
Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:
Capitals Re-Sign Ethen Frank
Forward signs two-year extension
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Ethen Frank to a two-year, $4 million contract extension, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Frank’s contract will carry an average annual value of $2 million.
Frank, 28, has recorded 23 points (11g, 12a) in 52 games this season. The 5’11”, 195-pound forward ranks tied for eighth on the Capitals in goals and fifth in goals per 60 minutes at 5v5 (0.85). Frank’s 11 goals are tied for the seventh most in the NHL among skaters who average fewer than 13:00 of ice time per game. In addition, Frank owns the fastest max skating speed (23.52 mph) among Capitals skaters this season and ranks in the 97th percentile among NHL players in top skating speed, per NHL EDGE. Frank, who grew up in Papillion, Nebraska, recorded a career-high four points (2g, 2a) on Nov. 20 at Montreal and ranks fourth on Washington in multi-goal games this season with three.
Frank appeared in 24 games with the Capitals last season, recording seven points (4g, 3a). Frank made his NHL debut on Jan. 10, 2025 vs. Montreal and registered a point in each of his first three games (2g, 1a), becoming just the sixth player in franchise history to accomplish the feat (Alex Ovechkin: 8 GP in 2005-06; Andre Burakovsky: 4 GP in 2014-15; Milan Novy: 4 GP in 1982-83; Ryan Walter: 4 GP in 1978-79; Jan Bulis: 3 GP in 1997-98). Frank also recorded 28 points (20g, 8a) in 35 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) in 2024-25 and was selected to the Atlantic Division Roster for the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic for the third straight season.
In 76 career NHL games with the Capitals, Frank has recorded 30 points (15g, 15a).
Frank, a two-time Calder Cup champion, has recorded 127 points (82g, 45a) in 164 career AHL games with Hershey. During the Bears’ 2024 championship run, Frank finished the Calder Cup Playoffs tied for first among all skaters in goals with 10 in 18 games played.
Frank, who went undrafted, was originally signed by Hershey to an AHL contract for the 2022-23 season after completing his collegiate career at Western Michigan University. On March 2, 2023, Frank signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Capitals for the 2023-24 season.
