Capitals sign Louie Belpedio, Calle Rosen, Graeme Clarke to contracts

The Washington Capitals have announced that they’ve signed defensemen Calle Rosen & Louie Belpedio and winger Graeme Clarke to contracts.

Belpedio was the only player of the three new additions to get a two-year contract, which comes in at the league-minimum cap hit of $775,000. He was an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of his two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, which also came in at a league-minimum cap hit. His contract is a two-way deal, with his minor league salary only being $450,000.

Belpedio spent the entirety of his 2024-25 season in the AHL with the Flyers’ minor league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he had five goals and 23 assists for 28 points in 66 games. He last played in the NHL with the Flyers in 2023-24.

Rosen also signs with the Capitals with a league-minimum salary of $775,000, but his contract comes in on a one-year, two-way deal. He was a UFA after the conclusion of his identical one-year, league-minimum contract with the Colorado Avalanche. His minor league salary will be $525,000.

Rosen spent last season with the Avalanche’s AHL team, the Colorado Eagles. He had 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points in 62 games, with his 10 goals being a career high in the AHL. He last played in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues in 2023-24.

Like Rosen, Clarke joins the Capitals on a one-year, two-way contract at a league-minimum cap hit of $775,000. The 24-year-old was a UFA after the Minnesota Wild opted to not qualify him after the conclusion of his one-year, $800,000 contract in 2024-25. His minor-league salary is $350,000.

Clarke spent the entirety of his 2024-25 season in the AHL with the Wild’s minor league affiliate, the Iowa Wild, where he had 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points in 64 games. His only NHL experience thus far has been a three-game stint with the New Jersey Devils in 2023-24.