Caps’ Djoos awarded $1.25-million contract

Washington Capitals defenceman Christian Djoos was awarded a one-year, $1.25-million contract by an arbitrator Wednesday.

A key contributor in the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup run, Djoos was previously on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $650,000 before it expired. He was extended a $715,000 qualifying offer from the team in June, but declined.

For arbitration, the Capitals requested $800,000, while Djoos’s representation filed for $1.9 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The arbitrator opted for a number that was close to the $1.35 million midpoint of those two asks.

Djoos, who struggled last National Hockey League season and missed two months after compartment syndrome in his thigh, is expected to be the Capitals’ sixth/seventh defenceman on a roster that previously had 13 forwards, six defencemen and two goalies under contract before the team re-signed Djoos on Wednesday.

Djoos, 24, is only the second player to earn an arbitration ruling this off-season. An arbitrator awarded Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp a twoyear, $4.56-million contract on Tuesday. The Capitals had to accept the arbitrator’s decision on Djoos since the annual average value was less than $4,397,832 — the “walk away” minimum for arbitration in 2019 — according to CapFriendly.

However, Djoos’s ruling puts the Capitals in a bind. With only $935,000 in salary cap space after the Capitals re-signed top-six forward Jakub Vrana to a twoyear, $6.7-million deal, the arbitration ruling will push the team over the salary cap and force the Capitals to make a change in their projected roster for the upcoming season to fit under the cap.

Teams are allowed to go 10 per cent over the salary cap until the last day of training camp, so no changes will have to be made immediately, however, a reshuffling will have to occur.

Even if forward Chandler Stephenson — who is scheduled to have his arbitration hearing on Aug. 1 — does not make the team during training camp and gets sent to the American Hockey League, the Capitals would still be over the salary cap with Djoos’ ruling.