The Washington Capitals inked veteran defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension on Thursday morning.
McIlrath’s new deal was announced while the Caps are on the road to play the Minnesota Wild. The news was relayed to the rest of the Capitals’ players during the team’s pregame video review with video coach Emily Engel-Natzke.
The vibes in the locker room were, as usual, imMACulate.
“We got a big one here,” Engel-Natzke said as a highlight of McIlrath celebrating a goal earlier this season played on the projector. “Two-year extension for Big Mac.”
The Capitals’ locker room exploded into applause as several players screamed “Sauce” or “Big Mac Sauce” in honor of their teammate. McIlrath sheepishly raised his fist in acknowledgement before getting up to hug his pals.
“Let’s go, brother,” Tom Wilson said.
“Hell yeah, brother,” another played added. “F–ing rights.”
While the morning celebrations were more subdued than their typical postgame antics, the occasion was just another showcase of how close this year’s Capitals team is.
“Yeah, they were pretty excited this morning when we broke the news to them,” head coach Spencer Carbery said. “Someone that has become just such a big part of our locker room, and I know he hasn’t played a ton of games, but the guys have so much respect for him, coaches have so much respect for him. What he does and what he brings every day and his career path – glad he was rewarded with that two-year, one-way deal.”
The Caps will look to rebound from their overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets against the Wild at 7:30 pm.
