ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) The Washington Capitals are bringing back two of the more important players from their Stanley Cup run by getting new contracts done with winger Devante Smith-Pelly and defenseman Michal Kempny.
Smith-Pelly had offers from other teams and took less money to sign a $1 million, one-year deal Thursday. A person with knowledge of the move later in the day said the Capitals agreed to terms on a multiyear contract with Kempny. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
”We all want to come back and play and try it again with the same group,” Smith-Pelly said. ”Obviously it might not work that way, but I think that’s what’s everyone intention to all come back and all be the same group.”
Smith-Pelly and Kempny were key acquisitions for the Capitals who played dividends in the playoffs. Smith-Pelly scored seven goals in the postseason, while Kempny filled the need for a top-four defenseman.
Each player said after the season he’d like to return. For Kempny, it’s the chance to keep an ”amazing” time going after fitting in perfectly alongside John Carlson and found his game under associate coach Todd Reirden.
”I’m very happy here,” Kempny said recently. ”We had plan with Todd, with defenseman coach, and the plan work out very well.”
The Capitals acquired Kempny from Chicago at the trade deadline for a third-round pick. He did not seem to be a favorite of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, was largely a third-pairing defenseman in Chicago and doubted his own ability to play difficult minutes against top NHL players.
”Todd, defenseman coach, he get my belief in myself back and I really appreciate (him) for it because when I came here I didn’t believe in myself,” Kempny said. ”I didn’t have confidence enough. Now, I’m back and my confidence is getting better and better.”
The 27 year-old Czech had two goals and three assists while playing 17:42 a game in the playoffs. Even better news for him is Reirden is the strong front-runner to replace departed coach Barry Trotz.
Smith-Pelly likewise got his career back on track in Washington after he was bought out by New Jersey last summer. When signing Smith-Pelly to a two-way, league-minimum $650,000 contract, general manager Brian MacLellan called him a ”project” and made no assurances he’d crack the opening night roster.
The Toronto native put up seven goals and nine assists in 75 regular-season games and then had two game-winners during his scoring tear in the playoffs. Being comfortable in Washington and embraced by teammates and fans led Smith-Pelly to take the Capitals’ offer rather than a one- or two-year deal elsewhere with a higher salary.
”It wasn’t worth it to leave somewhere where I’m happy and somewhere where I really want to be,” the 26-year-old third-liner said. ”The money to me personally is not that important if I’m not going to be happy somewhere else.”
Smith-Pelly has 40 goals and 53 assists for 93 points in 341 regular-season games with the Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, Devils and Capitals. Smith-Pelly was ready to stop the career carousel.
”It’d be nice to just stick in for one place for a couple years, and hopefully if it works out, longer than just this one next year,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It definitely played a role in the decision. I’m kind of tired of playing on new teams and all that stuff. It’s good to come back and be in the same place consecutive years.”
A 2010 second-round pick who had yet to find a foothold anywhere, Smith-Pelly was more than happy to take a chance on putting up bigger numbers going into unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.
”I have confidence in myself that I can carry over from the playoffs and do something and then set myself up for something bigger and more stable later,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It’s definitely betting yourself. That’s what I’m doing, and I’m confident in myself.”
The Capitals wanted him back even after not giving him a qualifying offer Monday as a restricted free agent. Doing so at a cost of $715,000 would have opened them up to an arbitration case and, at the very least, kept Smith-Pelly’s salary-cap hit an unknown until the hearing in July or August.
It didn’t get to that point. The team continued to negotiate with agent Eustace King, and Smith-Pelly was more than happy to take a chance on putting up bigger numbers going into unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.
”I have confidence in myself that I can carry over from the playoffs and do something and then set myself up for something bigger and more stable later,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It’s definitely betting yourself. That’s what I’m doing, and I’m confident in myself.”
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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SWhyno
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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
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