Capitals trade Jonas Siegenthaler to New Jersey for a third-round draft pick
Trading Siegenthaler after waiving forward Richard Panik last week left the Capitals with $1.175 million in cap space. If they move forward Daniel Carr back to the taxi squad after his brief active roster appearance Thursday against Boston, the Capitals would have $1.875 million in cap space.
After he signed a one-year, $800,000 contract in October, Siegenthaler, 23, had played in only seven games this season and had not posted a point after the Capitals’ offseason additions of Zdeno Chara, Justin Schultz and Trevor van Riemsdyk made for a crowded blue line.
Plus, Michal Kempny, who had surgery in October to repair a torn Achilles’ tendon, could be available in the postseason. Last week, he skated with the taxi squad, wearing a noncontact jersey, for the first time since his injury. Coach Peter Laviolette said the Capitals would be excited if Kempny could return but added that the defenseman is “very early on” in the process.
Sunday’s trade is seen as a “relief” and a “positive all-around,” according to a person with knowledge of Siegenthaler’s thinking. Siegenthaler will be poised to land a spot in the lineup with a young Devils group. He is also good friends with the Devils’ Nico Hischier, a fellow Swiss player. They played together at the world junior championships.
“I just think it’s a situation that’s unfortunate,” MacLellan said in March of Siegenthaler getting little opportunity to play this season. “I think Siegenthaler is a good player. He’s a legitimate first [penalty kill] guy in the NHL. I think just the circumstances this year with the team evolving and the team starting to play well, the defense starting to play well and the pairs settling in, it’s gotten away from him a little bit. But I think he’ll get an opportunity here at some point and he’ll come in and do well.”
The Capitals selected Siegenthaler in the second round of the 2015 draft. The Zurich native made his NHL debut for the Capitals in November 2018 and proceeded to play in 26 games that season. He played consistently in the 2019-20 season, suiting up for 64 of the Capitals’ 69 games while posting two goals and seven assists.
Siegenthaler and van Riemsdyk have been the extra defensemen on the Capitals’ active roster this season. The Capitals signed van Riemsdyk to a two-year, $1.9 million contract extension in March. The 29-year-old has one goal in nine games this season; he signed a one-year, $800,000 deal in October.
