The Washington Capitals have extended 32-year-old Nick Jensen to a 3-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday evening. Jensen will make $4.05 million a year until 2026.
THREE MORE YEARS OF THE JENSMAN
The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Nick Jensen to a three-year contract extension. Jensen’s contract will carry an average annual value of $4.05 million.#ALLCAPS
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 1, 2023
Nick Jensen’s Contract Extended
Jensen has been with Washington since February 2022, when he arrived from Detroit in exchange for Madison Bowey and a 2020 2nd-round draft pick. He signed a 4-year extension with Washington shortly after joining the Capitals.
In the time since, Jensen’s point totals have notably increased. After scoring only eight points in 68 games in 2019-20, he jumped to 14 in 53 for 2020-21 and bettered that mark in 2021-22 with 21. With 62 games played this season–and 20 left to go, should he play the rest of the schedule–he currently has 24 points. Most of those points (22) are assists, another personal best for him.
On the original Nick Jensen extension, he has only counted for $2.5 million of the Capitals’ salary.
Capitals Defense Gains Definition
By signing Jensen’s extension, Washington tripled its number of defenders signed for future seasons compared to Tuesday morning. Only John Carlson had been on a continuing contract at the beginning of the week. General Manager Brian MacLellan also acquired Rasmus Sandin (and the one remaining year of his $1.4 million dollar contract) from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Erik Gustafsson and the 2024 draft pick extracted from Boston the previous week.
Sandin is the youngest of the three, yet still has over 100 NHL games played–five ahead of Martin Fehervary, whose entry-level contract expires at the end of the current season. The Capitals will have the opportunity to sign Fehervary before he can receive offers from other teams.
If Washington keeps Fehervary and its other upcoming restricted free agent, Alex Alexeyev, it would have five defenders for the near future. Three of them would be under 25. Alexeyev, 23, has by far the fewest games of experience, so MacLellan would reasonably want to secure another experienced player.
Main Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
