The Washington Capitals, parent club of the AHL’s Hershey Bears, have signed goaltender Joe Cannata, defenseman Darren Dietz and forward Christian Thomas to one-year, two-way deals.
Cannata, 26, posted a 20-13-6 record with two shutouts, a 2.52 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in 40 games with the Utica Comets (AHL) last season.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound goaltender has posted a 41-33-6 record with two shutouts, a 2.59 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 88 career AHL games with Chicago and Utica.
The Wakefield, Mass., native spent four seasons (2008-12) at Merrimack College, posting a 59-46-16 record with seven shutouts and holds the school records for wins, games played, goals-against average, save percentage and saves (3,152). He was drafted by Vancouver in the sixth round, 173rd overall, in the 2009 NHL Draft.
Dietz, 22, registered five points (one goal, four assists) and 13 penalty minutes in 13 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season, his first career NHL stint. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound defenseman also tallied four goals and 12 assists for 16 points in 61 AHL games with St. John’s in 2015-16.
The Medicine Hat, Alta., native was drafted by Montreal in the fifth round, 138th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft. He has earned 38 points (eight goals, 30 assists) and 174 penalty minutes in 166 career AHL games with Hamilton and St. John’s.
Thomas, 24, registered two assists in six NHL games with Arizona and Montreal in 2015-16, and recorded recorded 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 34 AHL games with Springfield and St. John’s.
The Toronto native has earned 107 points (52 goals, 55 assists) in 219 career AHL games with Connecticut, Hamilton, St. John’s and Springfield, while adding one goal and two assists in 27 career NHL games with the N.Y. Rangers, Montreal and Arizona.
The 5-foot-9, 175-pound forward was drafted by the Rangers in the second round, 40th overall, in the 2010 NHL Draft.
