Days after signing defenseman John Carlson to an eight-year extension, the Capitals retained another piece of their championship core on Thursday by re-signing right winger Devante Smith-Pelly. Smith-Pelly inked a deal with the Capitals for one year and $1 million a season after playing a career high 75 games.

Smith-Pelly was a solid depth piece for the Capitals last season, scoring seven goals and picking up nine assists in his 12:21 minutes per game. 

Smith-Pelly's performance in the Stanley Cup Final, however, could well be what netted him the deal. Throughout the postseason, he matched his goal total from the regular season with seven and scored in Games 3, 4 and 5 against the Golden Knights in the series.

Smith-Pelly has been a bit of a journeyman throughout his career. The 25-year-old previously had stints with the Anaheim Ducks, the Montreal Canadiens, and the New Jersey Devils, with his longest stint coming with the Ducks for 3.5 years. He signed with the Capitals for the league minimum of $650,000 in the 2017 offseason. He now has 93 career points, including 40 goals.

According to ESPN, Smith-Pelly reportedly turned down some money from other teams to stay with the Capitals. The Capitals, meanwhile, took another step toward keeping their Stanley Cup squad together.

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