First-rounder Sonny Milano lands on waivers!

The Washington Capitals made a roster move Wednesday, placing forward Sonny Milano on waivers with the intent of assigning him to their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears.

Milano, a first-round pick in 2014, has been designated as a non-roster player, while Connor McMichael has been activated from injured reserve.

It’s been a rocky couple of seasons for the 29-year-old left wing. In 2024-25, Milano battled an upper-body injury that caused him to miss 70 games after a rough training camp and some early-season benchings. This season hasn’t offered much reprieve: Milano has four goals and eight points in 31 games.

Milano’s NHL journey began when the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted him 16th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut in 2017-18, playing 55 games and scoring 22 points. Over five seasons with Columbus, he appeared in 116 NHL games, splitting time between the NHL and the AHL. He was traded to Anaheim in 2020 before joining Washington in 2022-23 on a one-year, $750,000 “show-me” contract. Milano responded with 33 points in 64 games, ranking sixth in goals and seventh in points for the Capitals, which earned him a three-year extension worth $1.9 million per season.

Now, Milano faces another challenge as he clears waivers and attempts to regain his footing in the organization. Or perhaps he needs to get another start elsewhere in the league...