Two games into the season, the Washington Capitals split the starts between their goaltending tandem.
Charlie Lindgren, the team’s eventual number one starter from 2023-24, suited up in the Capitals’ Home Opening loss to the New Jersey Devils while Logan Thompson, acquired via trade over the summer, secured the club’s first win of the year against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.
First two games
While Lindgren earned the Game 1 start due to his play last season, nothing appears to be guaranteed for The Outlaw this year.
“We’re just going to play it by ear and try to get both guys as involved as possible, especially early in the season,” head coach Spencer Carbery said Wednesday. “Get them both playing. I don’t think there’s going to be a set plan alternating, but we’ll just continue to try to get them involved moving forward.”
Both Lindgren and Thompson have had similar NHL journeys over the last few years. Neither goalie was able to lock down a true starting role until last season, with Lindgren playing in 50 of Washington’s games and Thompson playing in 46 of Vegas’s games.
Lindgren took over the full-time spot from Darcy Kuemper halfway through the year, posting a 25-16-7 record along with a 2.67 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Thompson beat out Adin Hill for the majority share of Vegas’s starts after Hill was the team’s primary goaltender during their successful run to a Stanley Cup in 2023.
Thompson’s debut with the club on Tuesday night as an impressive one. Not only did he earn the club’s first win of the season but he downed the team that he requested a trade from months earlier.
“[Thompson’s game was] phenomenal, especially when it got to 4-2,” Carbery said postgame. “Because we got a little helter-skelter, made two pretty big mistakes on that faceoff, the o-zone faceoff…so we need to correct those, but he stepped up big time.”
Carbery’s indication that he’ll continue to give both goalies starts to begin the season does not deviate from the potential plan Brian MacLellan outlined when he first acquired Thompson from Vegas at the 2024 NHL Draft.
“It could be [a 1a/1b situation],” MacLellan said then. “Charlie’s earned his spot here. Hopefully, we have a competitive situation in net, and we’ll work it out from there.”
Despite both breaking through last year, the two goaltenders still have much to prove in important seasons for their futures in the league. Neither of them has a contract past this season. Lindgren is still making the $1.1 million backup salary he signed on for in 2022, while Thompson is making less than the league minimum at $767k.
Washington’s next game is against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. It will be the last of a three-game homestand to start the season. They’ll then travel to New Jersey for a rematch with the Devils on Saturday.
