Defenseman will return for 4 years, $11 million

The Capitals signed their second restricted free agent of the summer Wednesday, agreeing to a four-year, $11 million contract with defenseman Jeff Schultz.

The 24-year-old led the NHL in plus-minus rating last season at plus-50. Only Mike Green and Tom Poti saw more ice time than Schultz (19 minutes, 43 seconds) on the Caps' blueline. He even registered a career-high 23 points with three goals and 20 assists.

The salary-cap hit for Schultz will be $2.75 million per year. That's a big jump from his $715,000 salary in 2009-10. Washington still has two key restricted free agents to sign in forwards Tomas Fleischmann (23 goals) and Eric Fehr (21 goals) and about $10.8 million left in salary-cap space. Washington then would have three remaining roster spots to fill.

bmcnally@washingtonexaminer.com