The Washington Capitals re-signed prospect goaltender Garin Bjorklund to a one-year, two-way contract extension on Monday. The deal is worth $775,000, the league minimum, at the NHL level and $110,000 in Hershey.
Bjorklund, selected by the Caps in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, had a tremendous 2024-25 season with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. He posted a 21-4-3 record with a 2.02 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and one shutout.
The Calgary native helped South Carolina to a 52-15-5 overall record, establishing new franchise records for standings points (109) and wins (52) in a single season. The Stingrays were awarded the Brabham Cup after having the ECHL’s best regular-season record.
Bjorklund’s pro career with the Capitals’ organization didn’t start the way he had imagined. After four years with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, he suffered two herniated disks in his lower back and underwent extensive surgery, which allowed him to start just one game for the Stingrays during the 2022-23 campaign.
He played his full rookie season in 2023-24, appearing in 27 games for South Carolina, posting a 14-11-1 record with a 3.33 goals-against average, a .882 save percentage, and one shutout. The Stingrays have helped produce several Caps goalies in the past, including Logan Thompson, Braden Holtby, and Philipp Grubauer, among others.
Bjorklund, who Holtby mentored at times this season, also made his AHL debut for Hershey, making two starts for the Bears. The 23-year-old netminder went 2-0 with a sparkling 1.29 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage.
Bjorklund was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Here’s the full press release from the Washington Capitals:
Capitals Re-sign Garin Bjorklund
Goaltender posted 21-4-3 record with 2.02 GAA and .927 save percentage with South Carolina in 2024-25
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed goaltender Garin Bjorklund to a one-year, two-way contract, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Bjorklund’s contract will carry an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level and $110,000 in AHL.
Bjorklund, 23, posted a 21-4-3 record with a 2.02 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage and one shutout in 29 games with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) in 2024-25. The 6’2”, 190-pound goaltender ranked second in the ECHL in goals-against average and third in save percentage, helping the Stingrays capture the Brabham Cup championship as the ECHL team with the best record in the regular season. The Grande Prairie, Alberta native also made two starts for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), going 2-0-0 with a 1.49 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. Bjorklund made his American Hockey League debut with Hershey on March 26, making 26 saves in a 4-1 win at Bridgeport.
Bjorklund appeared in 27 games with South Carolina in 2023-24, posting a record of 14-11-1 with a 3.33 goals-against average, an .882 save percentage and one shutout. Prior to beginning his professional career with the Stingrays, Bjorklund played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Medicine Hat Tigers, where he recorded a 40-48-4 record with a 3.50 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage in 96 career games.
The Capitals selected Bjorklund in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.
