Capitals sign Swedish defenseman Hardy Haman Aktell to entry-level contract
Caps sign Swedish defenseman Haman Aktell to entry-level deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Capitals made their first roster move of the offseason Thursday, signing 24-year-old defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell to a one-year, two-way contract. The entry-level deal will pay Häman Aktell $775,000 in the NHL and $82,500 in the AHL, the team announced.
Häman Aktell, a fourth-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators in 2016, spent the 2022-23 season with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League. He compiled nine goals and 27 assists in 51 games, playing a key role in Växjö’s second SHL championship run in three years.
Listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Häman Aktell joins a Capitals defensemen corps still taking shape ahead of next season. John Carlson was the only NHL-level defenseman signed past 2022-23 when the season began, but he has since been joined by Nick Jensen (three-year extension), Trevor van Riemsdyk (three-year extension) and Rasmus Sandin (midseason trade).
Both Martin Fehervary and Alex Alexeyev are restricted free agents this offseason, representing the two biggest question marks facing the Capitals’ blue line heading into the summer. The addition of Häman Aktell gives them added organizational depth at the position, especially with veteran Matt Irwin on an expiring contract.
