The Washington Capitals are the top team in the NHL 45 games into the 2024-25 season, and it’s largely thanks to their goaltending. The Capitals’ tendy tandem of Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren have a combined save percentage of 0.911 — good for second-best in the league. The Caps and Winnipeg Jets (0.916) are the only two teams in the NHL to have save percentages over the 0.910 threshold.
“I think there’s also some concern from Caps management that if they extend one goalie now and not the other, it could have a negative impact on the dressing room,” LeBrun wrote. “The Caps will continue to talk to the respective agents for both goalies, and I assume they’ll end up signing at least one of them, but they’re going about it very carefully for the time being.”
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has avoided speculation about his preferred goaltender this season by splitting the starts right down the middle. He has only budged recently, with Lindgren out of the lineup the past week due to an upper-body injury. Before leaving the lineup, Lindgren had started 21 games, and Thompson had started 22.
“I like playing two guys because I think it’s good internal competition,” Carbery said in late October. “I think it keeps them both fresh. So if they’re both playing well, they’re both going to play.”
LeBrun’s words match earlier reporting from ESPN’s Kevin Weekes that the Capitals have yet to offer Thompson a contract despite his sparkling start to the year. The 27-year-old backstop is coming off his second shutout in a row on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators, improving to 20-2-3 on the season with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.
Thompson is being paid under $767k this season, less than the current league minimum salary. Per AFP Analytics, Thompson’s next contract is projected to be a four-year, $22.56 million deal ($5.64M AAV) with the current NHL salary cap estimations. However, that projection was made before he jumped out to the second-highest goals saved above expected mark (23.3) in the NHL and began getting buzz as a year-end Vezina Trophy finalist.
Lindgren has been less effective than Thompson but still a net positive for the Capitals overall. The 31-year-old is 10-8-2 this season with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. He is also the primary reason Washington made the playoffs in 2023-24. Per AFP Analytics, Lindgren’s hypothetical new contract is a bit cheaper than Thompson’s, projected as a two-year, $7.94 million extension ($3.97M AAV).
Washington seemingly has no interest in moving either netminder before the end of this season. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that while he believes the team won’t be able to keep both goalies past this year, neither is being put on the trade block before the offseason.
The Capitals hold exclusive negotiating rights with Thompson and Lindgren until July 1.
