ARLINGTON, Va. - The
Washington Capitals have signed forward
Stefan Della Rovere to a three-year entry-level contract beginning next season, vice president and general manager
George McPhee announced today.
Della Rovere, 18, will join the
South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL and could make his debut tonight at Charlotte. He is also eligible to return to his junior team next season.
Della Rovere captained the
Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this year and recorded 51 points (27g-24a) and 146 penalty minutes in 57 regular-season games. He played in all five playoff games for the Colts, recording two goals and two assists before the team was eliminated in the first round by the
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Della Rovere was named to the 2009 OHL Eastern Conference All-Star team, where he recorded one goal.
The 5'11", 200-pound Richmond Hill, Ontario, native was a member of Team Canada that won the gold medal at the 2009 World Junior Championship in Ottawa. He also participated in the 2008 ADT Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Canada/Russia Challenge, an annual six-game exhibition tournament between all-star teams representing the three leagues of the CHL and a select team of Russian junior players.
Della Rovere was Washington's seventh-round choice, 204th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.