The Washington Capitals went almost a decade with zero question marks in net due to Braden Holtby’s greatness. However, after the Vezina Trophy and Stanley Cup-winning netminder departed after the 2019-20 season, the Caps have since used 10 different goaltenders to varying degrees of success.
The Capitals seemingly put an end to those woes with the acquisition of Logan Thompson from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer and the continued emergence of Charlie Lindgren. The Caps inked both netminders to extensions during the 2024-25 season that will see them protect the club’s cage as a tandem through the 2027-28 campaign.
“Very happy with what Logan did and what Charlie did,” president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan said last week. “I think we got two really good guys, two good team guys that can share the load. Both can take over at any moment. The idea that we can platoon guys — we’ve been frustrated with the goalie thing for a long time — goalies get hot, goalies get cold. We like where we’re sitting with both those guys.”
The two goalies shared a completely even split in starts for the majority of the season, with Thompson’s dominant performance eventually earning him more of the starter’s nod during the final stretch of the regular season and two playoff rounds. Despite being arguably the second-best goalie in the league, Thompson did not earn a Vezina Trophy nomination, likely due to just how many starts Lindgren was given for the first several months of the year.
Capitals 2024-25 goaltending statistics
| Goaltender | Record | GAA | SV% | GSAE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Thompson | 31-6-6 | 2.49 | .910 | 26.0 |
| Charlie Lindgren | 20-14-3 | 2.73 | .896 | -1.0 |
Note: Goals saved above expected (GSAE) totals via MoneyPuck.
Thompson lost just six games in regulation the entire season, helping lead the Capitals to a first-place finish in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. His 2.49 goals against average ranked 7th best among goalies who appeared in 25-plus games, and his .910 save percentage ranked 9th best.
The 28-year-old backstop finished third in goals saved above expected (26.0), trailing only Connor Hellebuyck (39.6) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (29.2). Thompson signed a six-year, $35.1 million extension with the Capitals on January 27, his first long-term contract in the NHL.
After stealing the number-one job from Darcy Kuemper during the 2023-24 season, Lindgren had a less impressive but still solid 2024-25 campaign. His best month of the year came in December, posting a 3-3 record with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
While he was admittedly not thrilled with his numbers during the season, Lindgren remained a big part of the team’s close-knit locker room. Specifically, the 31-year-old goaltender spurred on the “agape love” motto the team adopted with a postgame speech following a 3-0 shutout of the Seattle Kraken on January 24.
Lindgren made just one appearance during the playoffs, playing 6:37 of ice time in relief of an injured Thompson during Game 3 of the first round. The Capitals inked Lindgren to a three-year, $9 million extension on March 3.
