The Washington Capitals signed forward Shane Gersich to a one-year, two-way contract with a guaranteed minimum salary of $125,000 Monday.
The move marked the Capitals’ first transaction of the 2019 offseason. The new contract is worth an average annual value of $700,000 at the NHL level and $115,00 at the minor-league level.
Gersich, who turns 23 this summer, has played only three regular season games for Washington but also skated in two playoff games during the Capitals’ run to the 2018 Stanley Cup when other forwards were dealing with injuries.
Gersich spent all of 2018-19 in with AHL Hershey. But with less than impressive forward depth down the organization, the Capitals chose to hang on to a young prospect who they may feel shows promise.
Later Monday, the Capitals also announced the re-signing of AHL forward Brian Pinho to a one-year, two-way contract ($700,000/$100,000).
Other pending decisions for Washington include a negotiation with top-six winger Jakub Vrana and several other pending free agent forwards — including Brett Connolly, Carl Hagelin and Devante Smith-Pelly (unrestricted) as well as Andre Burakovsky, Dmitrij Jaskin and Chandler Stephenson (restricted).
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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