As Deadline Sell-Off Begins, Capitals Complete Busy 24 Hours With Rasmus Sandin Extension
The Washington Capitals appear to be getting a head start on Friday’s trade deadline.
On Tuesday, the club traded forward Anthony Mantha to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round selection. They also agreed to retain 50 percent of his $5.7 million cap hit, reducing that figure to a friendlier $2.85 million.
The 29-year-old winger, sitting with 20 goals and 34 points in 56 games, will become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Washington originally acquired Mantha from the Detroit Red Wings in a blockbuster trade during the 2020-21 season, sending a package the other way that included Richard Panik, Jakub Vrana, a 2021 first-round pick (Wyatt Johnston) and a 2022 second-round pick (Dmitri Buchelnikov).
The Longueuil, QC native is a three-time 20-goal scorer and averaged just over 14 minutes per night with the Capitals this season. He comes with 11 games of postseason experience – all with Washington.
Mantha’s arrival addresses a major need upfront for the Golden Knights, who are expected to be without captain Mark Stone for the rest of the regular season – an absence that could also extend into the playoffs.
After completing what’ll likely be the first of at least a few trades before Friday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, the Capitals extended one of their young blueliners on Wednesday, agreeing to a five-year deal with defenceman Rasmus Sandin.
The contract is worth $23 million and carries a $4.6 million cap hit through 2028-29. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.
Sandin, amidst the final season of a two-year, $2.8-million contract, was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of last year’s trade deadline. In return, the club sent pending UFA Erik Gustafsson and its 2023 first-round selection.
The 23, soon to be 24 year old left-hander owns three goals and 20 points across 52 games this season, averaging a career-high 21:19 per contest – second highest among Capitals skaters, trailing only John Carlson’s 25:51.
Last season, Sandin enjoyed an offensive explosion post-trade, potting three goals and 15 points over his first 19 games with Washington. By comparison, he netted four goals and 20 points in 52 games with Toronto prior to his departure.
The Maple Leafs selected the 5-foot-11 blueliner 29th overall in 2018, compiling 140 career NHL games with the franchise over four seasons from 2019-23.
As Sandin’s recent signing suggests, the Capitals brass has been impressed by the Swedish defenceman’s play thus far, earning him a five-year guarantee. With it, he becomes the only blueliner on the active roster signed beyond 2025-26.
While it’s clear Sandin’s job is safe, general manager Brian MacLellan may have another trade or two up his sleeve before Friday’s deadline passes. Two skaters most likely to be on the move include a pair of pending UFAs, Max Pacioretty and Joel Edmundson.
Both players, however, have trade protections included in their respective contracts – Pacioretty’s a full no-move clause, and Edmundson’s a 10-team no-trade list.
But with only 22 games remaining and the Capitals seven points out of a playoff spot, odds are that duo would be willing to waive those rights to join a contender ahead of the stretch run.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.