Washington Capitals: What Troy Brouwer Signing Means for the Team

On Wednesday morning, fans of the Washington Capitals should be pleased to see that power forward Troy Brouwer will be rocking the red for the foreseeable future. 

According to TSN.ca: 

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The Washington Capitals signed forward Troy Brouwer to a three-year, $11 million contract extension on Wednesday. Brouwer will earn $3.6 million in 2013-14, $3.65 million in 2014-15 and $3.75 million in 2015-16.

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Brouwer, 27, notched 18 goals in 2011-12 on a Capitals team that struggled mightily to find the back of the net—especially on the power play. 

Though he's a threat to score 20 goals every season, Brouwer's true value can't be boiled down to point totals, as he's a crash-and-bang brand of forward—the kind that regularly makes life more difficult for opposing defensemen. 

In fact, in 2011-12, Brouwer led the Caps with 247 hits and has regularly ranked among the league's best in that department—which is why George McPhee opted to deal Washington's top pick at the 2011 NHL Draft in exchange for his services. 

Aside from his tangible assets, Brouwer also brings something very important to the table—a winning pedigree. 

For a team like the Capitals, that has suffered a series of heart-breaking postseason defeats, having a guy like Brouwer, who won a Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2010, is of the utmost importance. 

Brouwer's been a part of a championship team and was a vital cog during the Blackhawks' run two years ago, which in itself is a good enough reason for McPhee and the Caps to want him around for the next four years.

Though his price tag of over $3.5 million a season may seem steep for a guy who's never notched 25 goals or 50 points, finding players that can be productive offensively while bringing a fierce physical style to the ice is no easy task.

With Brouwer, Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich all signed through the next four seasons, the Caps' core up front will be intact for a considerable amount of time.

Brouwer represents the second key player that McPhee has inked to an extension this summer, as two-time All-Star Mike Green agreed to a three-year deal with the team in July. 

Now, McPhee's next task is to get 2011 All-Rookie rearguard John Carlson's signature on a new contract, even if it has to wait until after a new Collective Bargaining Agreement has been hammered out. 

Assuming McPhee can re-sign both Carlson and partner Karl Alzner, the Caps will have a formidable collection of skill and grit for at least the next few seasons, but whether it'll be enough to bring home the city's first ever Stanley Cup remains to be seen. 

Either way, re-upping Brouwer for three more years is a step in the right direction.