Capitals sign David Gucciardi to two-year, entry-level contract

The Washington Capitals announced Monday they signed defenseman David Gucciardi to a two-year, entry-level contract, which kicks in at the start of the 2025-26 season.

Gucciardi’s contract will pay him an average annual value (AAV) of $855,000 at the NHL level, and $82,500 in the AHL. He is expected to sign an amateur tryout agreement with the Capitals’ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, and spend the rest of the season in the minors.

The 22-year-old Gucciardi spent the last four seasons playing NCAA college hockey with the Michigan State Spartans, and his college career came to an end last Friday when the Spartans were eliminated by the Cornell Big Red in the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament with a heartbreaking last-second goal.

This past season, Gucciardi had six goals and 10 assists for 16 points and 42 penalty minutes in 37 games. Through his four seasons at Michigan State, Gucciardi had 17 goals and 28 assists for 45 points and 154 penalty minutes in 139 career games. After his freshman season in 2021-22, he was drafed in the seventh round by the Capitals in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Before enrolling at Michigan State, Gucciardi spent two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL), scoring 10 goals and 23 assists for 33 points and 128 penalty minutes in 68 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Sioux City Musketeers, Youngstown Phantoms and Waterloo Black Hawks.

As of March 31, the Capitals are 47-17-9 with 103 points, first in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference, and second in the NHL standings, behind the Winnipeg Jets.