- Capitals re-sign D Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $6.5M extension
- $3.25M AAV deal kicks in next season, locks in trade-deadline pickup
- Read below for the full terms and what it means for Washington’s blue line
Washington locked up its trade-deadline pickup before he could hit the open market.
The Capitals re-signed right-shot defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $6.5 million extension on Wednesday, the team announced. The deal carries a $3.25 million cap hit and kicks in next season.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period was first with the news, reporting the framework before Washington made it official.
Liljegren, 27, came over from San Jose at the March 6 deadline for a 2026 fourth-round pick. He played just four games for the Caps down the stretch, averaging 16:54 of ice time per night without recording a point. Across 47 combined appearances with the Sharks and Capitals this season, he put up 11 points (one goal, 10 assists).
Re-signing him got more urgent after Rasmus Sandin tore his ACL late in the regular season. Sandin had surgery and faces a six-to-nine-month recovery, meaning he could miss anywhere from the first month of 2026-27 to the All-Star break.
Bringing Liljegren back gives Washington three right-shot defensemen under contract for next season, joining Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath. The $3.25 million cap hit trims the Caps’ available offseason space from $36.5 million to $33.35 million, per PuckPedia.
The Maple Leafs took Liljegren 17th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, and he has 93 career points (21g, 72a) across 311 regular-season games with Toronto, San Jose and Washington. He’s added one assist in 13 career playoff appearances.
GM Chris Patrick has been clear about Washington’s willingness to spend this summer. Locking down the right side of the blue line before July 1 was an obvious place to start.
