His time with the New York Rangers didn’t pan out as expected after being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NHL Draft. However, more than a decade later, the towering defenseman has carved out a role as a depth player for the Metropolitan Division’s top team. On Thursday, he signed a two-year, $1.6 million contract with the Washington Capitals.HE joined the Capitals organization ahead of the 2021-22 season and has primarily played in the AHL with the Hershey Bears. Serving as Hershey’s captain for the past two seasons, he led the team to back-to-back Calder Cup championships.
This season, he has suited up for 11 games with Washington but has not played since December 23. He filled in for the injured Matt Roy over a 10-game stretch from October 15 to November 3 before being scratched for 22 consecutive games. His last appearance came against the Boston Bruins just before Christmas.
He remains out of the lineup and is expected to be a healthy scratch for the 38th straight game when the Capitals face the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
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Despite his career struggles, the 32-year-old has remained on Washington’s active roster all season—a solid position to be in, given he’s on the NHL’s top team. The Capitals (47-15-9) currently lead the league with 103 points, one more than the Winnipeg Jets.
This season, McIlrath has recorded two assists and 14 penalty minutes in 11 games. Last year, he played three regular-season games for Washington and suited up for every playoff matchup in their first-round sweep against the Rangers.
His contract extension comes just three days after the Capitals locked in star defenseman Jakob Chychrun with an eight-year, $72 million deal. Both McIlrath and Chychrun were pending unrestricted free agents before signing their new contracts.
