Lucas Johansen

Peter Laviolette to the Capitals’ youth in camp: ‘Make noise and force a situation where you have to be kept’

The Washington Capitals have made it quite clear for some time now that younger players are not guaranteed spots in their lineup. General manager Brian MacLellan said as much in his free agency wrap-up presser in July.

“It’s a competitive situation,” MacLellan said then. “I don’t think we’re coming in guaranteeing young guys spots in the lineup. I think, you know, you have to earn it to a certain degree.”

Head coach Peter Laviolette was asked Thursday on the first day of Training Camp about the involvement of youth in his squad this season and about his message to them for camp and the preseason.

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By Chris Cerullo 2 days ago

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Lucas Johansen signs two-year, $1.525 contract with Capitals

The Washington Capitals selected Lucas Johansen with their first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. Six years later, the late-blooming 24-year-old prospect may challenge for a roster spot at the team’s upcoming training camp.

But first, for LuJo to do that, a contract needed to be signed, and on Friday, the Capitals announced that they inked the left-handed shooting defenseman to a two-year, $1.525 deal. The first year of the contract is two-way ($750,000/$125,000) while it becomes one-way in 2023-24 ($775k).

Johansen was set to be a restricted free agent before coming to terms.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Capitals send Pheonix Copley and Lucas Johansen back to Hershey as NHL taxi squads end

The Washington Capitals sent goaltender Pheonix Copley and defenseman Lucas Johansen back down to the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Thursday.

The moves come as the NHL will disband its taxi squads league-wide after the NHL All-Star Break.

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By Ian Oland 8 months ago

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Capitals recall Lucas Johansen and place him on the team’s taxi squad

The Washington Capitals announced Monday morning that they have recalled Lucas Johansen from the Hershey Bears and assigned their former first-round pick to their taxi squad.

This will be Johansen’s third stint on the taxi squad this season after his last two appearances were sandwiched between his NHL debut.

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By Chris Cerullo 8 months ago

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Capitals recall forward Aliaksei Protas, send group of four players back to Hershey

The kings of roster tinkering this season are at it again. With a handful of days before their next game, the Washington Capitals shifted some pieces back and forth with their AHL affiliate, Hershey Bears.

The Capitals recalled forward Aliaksei Protas from Hershey and sent defensemen Alex Alexeyev and Lucas Johansen via the taxi squad and forward Michael Sgarbossa and goaltender Pheonix Copley via the main roster back to the AHL.

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By Chris Cerullo 9 months ago

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Emotional Ryan Johansen calls little brother Lucas’s NHL debut with Capitals ‘one of the most special days of my life’

Washington Capitals 2016 first-round pick, Lucas Johansen, will make his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. We know this now officially because Lucas’s older brother, Nashville Predators’ superstar center Ryan Johansen, posted an emotional tribute for him on his Instagram page.

Get your tissues ready.

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By Ian Oland 9 months ago

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Lucas Johansen recalled to active roster, 2016 first-round pick appears likely to make NHL debut

The Washington Capitals have recalled 2016 first-round pick, defenseman Lucas Johansen to their active roster. To do so, they needed to place Alex Alexyev on the taxi squad.

With multiple defensemen still out due to COVID protocol, it appears the long-awaited debut of the Caps’ first-round selection from five years ago will happen tonight in Detroit.

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By Chris Cerullo 9 months ago

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COVID-ravaged Capitals make flurry of roster moves as 6 more players enter protocol

The Washington Capitals announced ahead of their return to the ice on Monday that six players are now quarantining after contracting or being exposed to COVID-19 during the NHL’s four-day pause to the season.

Daniel Sprong and Justin Schultz entered protocol on December 21 while Nick Jensen (December 23), Martin Fehervary (December 24), Vitek Vanecek (December 24), and Dennis Cholowski (December 24) were added to the list in the days following.

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By Chris Cerullo and Ian Oland 9 months ago

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Washington Capitals announce signings of minor leaguers Lucas Johansen, Matt Irwin, Dylan McIlrath, and Hunter Shepard

Through the first five hours of free agency, the Washington Capitals made no major NHL signings. But shortly after 5 PM, the team announced that it had signed four depth players that will likely spend the majority of the 2021-22 season in the minor leagues.

The Capitals re-signed defenseman Lucas Johansen, their first-round pick from the 2016 NHL Draft, to a one-year, two-way contract ($700,000/$95,000). They then signed defenseman Matt Irwin to a one-year, two-way contract ($750,000/350,000) and Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, two-way contract (2021-22: $750,000/450,000; 2022-23: $750,000/475,000).

Goaltender Hunter Shepard, who showed promise with the South Carolina Stingrays and was sensational in three games with the Hershey Bears, signed to a two-year, two-way contract ($750,000/90,000). Shepard helped lead the Stingrays to the Kelly Cup Finals, registering a 7-6 record in the postseason.

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By Ian Oland 1 year ago

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