The 2019 first-round pick can earn a long-term deal from Washington by 2026
The Washington Capitals were busy on July 1 this offseason. Former general manager Brian MacLellan completed a trade for former Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun. He agreed to terms with blue liner Matt Roy on a six-year contract worth $34.5 million. The former GM also signed one of his own to a bridge deal in forward Connor McMichael. The Capitals selected the 23-year-old in the first round (25th overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He has played in parts of four seasons in Washington.
McMichael signed a two-year contract worth $4.2 million with the Capitals. While he will still be a restricted free agent for his next deal in 2026, these next two campaigns are important in deciding about whether he is a part of the core for the next era in the franchise’s history.
Connor McMichael’s Career So Far
After developing his game in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Hamilton Bulldogs and London Knights, Connor McMichael played the majority of the 2020-21 hockey season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears. In 33 games for the Bears, he scored 14 goals and tallied 13 assists for a total of 27 points. McMichael debuted for Washington during the 2020-21 season as well. He only played in one game and did not record a point. However, it was a stepping stone of experience that would make a difference going forward.
2021-22 is when McMichael played his first full season in Washington. He played for 68 games and produced 18 points in that span (nine goals and nine assists). He then split 2022-23 between D.C. and Hershey, mainly played in the AHL for the Bears. While there, he scored 16 goals and notched 23 assists for 39 points in 57 games. He did play in six games for the Capitals, but did not get any points.
Most recently, Connor McMichael played the entire 2023-24 campaign for Washington. He scored 18 goals and tallied 15 assists for 33 points in 80 games. It was his second full campaign in the NHL. Fans saw the growth from where he was when he first arrived on the Capitals. The potential to gain more of a role for the club is there, and he can earn those responsibilities in the next two seasons.
Connor McMichael Needs to Take Advantage of Bridge Deal
A lot of the Capitals’ long-term future has not been decided yet. There are a few names who are locked up long-term. Tom Wilson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matt Roy, Rasmus Sandin, and Aliaksei Protas have quite a few seasons left on their current deals. Current Capitals GM Chris Patrick will be in charge of shaping the rest of the roster for the next chapter. If McMichael can continue to improve his game and make strides on the ice for Washington, Patrick could possibly offer him a long-term extension by 2026.
While MacLellan may not be GM anymore, he still has a significant impact on the blueprint of this next era in D.C. McMichael is just one example of someone who could be an important part of the offense down the road that MacLellan brought in. There is also Hendrix Lapierre, who Washington picked with the 22nd overall selection in the 2020 Draft. Vincent Iorio will be logging more games in the NHL eventually. He was chosen by Washington with the 55th overall pick in the 2021 Draft. These are just a few examples. It will be up to Patrick to commit to these talents, and up to players like McMichael to continue to make a difference and earn that long-term commitment from the organization.
