Michael Latta is now an unrestricted free agent.
According to reports, the Capitals didn’t extend the 25-year-old Latta a qualifying offer on Monday, so he now heads to free agency after three seasons in Washington. He scored three goals and seven points in 43 games this past season.
The decision to let Latta walk is a bit of a surprise after General Manager Brian MacLellan said twice last week that he intended to extend qualifying offers to all four. But the trade for Lars Eller, who projects to be the Capitals’ third-line center, leaves Latta again without a role, as Jay Beagle is expected to be the Capitals’ fourth center.
Meanwhile, in Nashville. . .
. . . The Predators on Monday signed 21-year-old forward Filip Forsberg to a six-year, $36 million extension, following a 33-goal, 64-point regular season.
The significance?
The Capitals traded Forsberg -- their first-round pick, 11th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft -- to Nashville in April of 2013 for Martin Erat and Latta, who was playing in the AHL at the time.
Erat played 62 games in parts of two seasons for Washington, before moving to Phoenix with the Coyotes and eventually signing in the KHL last September.
Now Latta is an UFA.