The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Riley Sutter to a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$150,000) and defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell to a one-year, two-way contract (775,000/$350,000), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Sutter, 24, established single-season career highs in goals (9), assists (14), points (23), shots (91) and plus-minus rating (+9) in 66 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) in 2023-24. The 6’4”, 211-pound forward added one assist in 13 playoff games, helping Hershey capture its second-straight Calder Cup championship. During the 2022-23 season, Sutter recorded 12 points (5g, 7a) in 69 regular-season games with Hershey and six points (2g, 4a) in 20 playoff games, including the game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals. Sutter, who was drafted by the Capitals in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, has registered 56 points (17g, 39a) in 224 career AHL games with Hershey.
Häman Aktell, 25, recorded 11 points (2g, 9a) in 55 games with Hershey in 2023-24. During the Calder Cup Playoffs, Häman Aktell registered nine points (5g, 4a) in 17 games, ranking tied for first among AHL defensemen in goals (5). The 6’3”, 216-pound defenseman also appeared in six games with the Capitals, making his NHL debut on Oct. 21, 2023 at Montreal. On Oct. 29, Häman Aktell recorded his first career NHL point and assist vs. San Jose. Prior to signing with Washington on April 27, 2023, the Kage, Sweden native played with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he recorded 63 points (17g, 46a) in 151 career SHL games. Häman Aktell was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
