Copley Signs Two-Year Deal with Capitals

June 28, 2017

The Washington Capitalsm, the NHL affiliate of the Hershey Bears, have re-signed goaltender Pheonix Copley to a two-year, $1.3 million contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Per the Capitals, Copley’s contract is two-way ($650,000 NHL /$200,000 AHL) during the 2017-18 season and one-way ($650,000) during the 2018-19 season. 

Copley, 25, was re-acquired by the Capitals from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 27. He played a large part in Hershey's push to the playoffs, going 11-5-0 in 16 games with a 2.15 goals against average. He started 11-straight games from Mar. 19 to Apr. 4. Between 41 games with Chicago (AHL) and Hershey, finished with seventh best goals against average in the league at 2.25. After leading Hershey to a first round playoff win over Lehigh Valley, a lower-body injury sidelined Copley in the second round series loss to Providence. 

The native of North Pole, AK has appeared in two career NHL games with the St. Louis Blues. The 6’4”, 196-pound goaltender made his NHL debut on Feb. 27, 2016 at Nashville and made 24 saves in his first career NHL start on Jan. 21, 2017 at Winnipeg. He was orginally signed as a free agent by the Capitals out of Michigan Tech and spent the 2014-15 season with Hershey before being traded to St. Louis.