Michal Kempny re-signs with Capitals
Defenseman Michal Kempny has re-signed with the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals for $10 million over four years, it was announced Friday.
The champion Capitals have re-signed forward Devante Smith-Pelly, who played a career-high 75 games last season, to a one-year deal worth $1 million.
Washington picked up Kempny from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline for a 2018 third-round draft pick.
That first year was actually a humbling experience, because I thought I would be able to go in and lean on my athletic ability a bit more. But learning the ins and outs and stuff that has to do with football offensive formations as a defensive player, and all the different packages, I could go on and on about that. It’s basically a lot to learn. It was hard. You play rugby there are 15 guys on the field and you don’t sub [out].
Couture was a first-round pick by San Jose in 2007 and has said he never wants to leave the franchise. He has developed into one of the Sharks’ top forwards since making his debut in 2009 and is coming off a career-high 34-goal season.
Couture, 29, was San Jose’s most dependable center last season, often matching up against the opponent’s top line and providing plenty of offense of his own from the second line. Couture had 27 assists and was a major part of the power-play and penalty-killing units.
He has 213 goals and 224 assists in 582 career games. He also has been a postseason standout, leading the NHL with 30 points in 2016 when he helped the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time; they lost to Pittsburgh in six games.