Washington Capitals sign top European free agent Hardy Häman Aktell

The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell to a one-year entry-level contract with an AAV of $870,000.

The two-way deal will kick in during the 2023-24 NHL campaign.

A two-time champion with the Vaxjo Lakers, Häman Aktell is coming off of a career-best 36 points in 51 games in the top Swedish league. The Nashville Predators originally drafted the 6-foot-4 blueliner in the fourth round in 2016, but the team never signed him. He finally made it to the top Swedish league, the SHL, in 2020-21 and quickly became an impact player with Vaxjo.

Häman Aktell was one of the top European free agents on the market due to his offensive explosion. He typically has been one to use his size and strength to his advantage, but he jumped to third in the scoring race among defensemen this year, which helped his case to earn an NHL deal.

Häman Aktell has limited experience with Sweden’s national team, playing six Euro Hockey Tour games this season.

Häman Aktell spent significant time on the power play and penalty kill with the Lakers this year, and has developed into a speedy blueliner for his size. His confidence with the puck was on full display this season, which helped him take his game to a new level.

With the signing of Häman Aktell, the Capitals have some extra defensive depth to work with for the 2023-24 season. They have John Carlson, Nick Jensen and Trevor van Riemsdyk signed until 2026, while Rasmus Sandin has another year left on his deal. Alexander Alexeyev and Martin Fehervary are restricted free agents, while Matt Irwin is a pending UFA. The Caps also have AHLers Vincent Iorio and Lucas Johansen signed for next season.