Logan Thompson was back in a familiar barn Sunday night as he faced his former Vegas Golden Knights for his first game back at T-Mobile Arena. After beating his old team in his Capitals debut last month, Thompson and the Capitals completed the season sweep with a 5-2 victory in Vegas.
Thompson, who played parts of four seasons with the Golden Knights, told Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken that the matchup held far more meaning than an average road game.
“I was always thankful for my time here as a Golden Knight and it was a fun game — this is a game that I had on my schedule since I got traded, so a lot of fun,” he said. “And I’m really happy for the boys, the effort they put out there. This is not an easy rink to play in and credit to the guys, we toughed out and it’s a huge two points on the road.”
Head coach Spencer Carbery spoke highly of Thompson’s play after the win, noting his efforts to protect the Capitals’ lead later in the game.
“I thought he was outstanding. Just proud of him for the way that he battled tonight,” Carbery said. He later added, “Just happy for him and proud of him to beat his former team twice, and to play the way he did tonight and grind through that and battle and arguably be the difference in the second half of that game.”
The Golden Knights honored Thompson with a tribute video midway through the first period. Per the Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson, Thompson was visibly emotional as the crowd celebrated his return.
Thompson reminisced on his time in Vegas postgame, walking through his thoughts as he watched those years play out in the tribute video.
“You forget how many good memories you have here and how much I loved it here and even seeing — yeah, I mean everything,” he said. “The city meant a lot to me and I love playing in front of the fans. And I didn’t make life easy when I was here sometimes, but credit to the guys that were here with me and here before or that are no longer here. They really helped me and I really needed a fresh start, but I couldn’t be more happy to spend my time as a Golden Knight.”
Carbery, too, highlighted the extra emotions for Thompson in the win and praised the Golden Knights for their recognition of his return.
“The tribute video — in the time that he was here, you can tell how much he meant to the fans and the organization as a whole,” he said. “And reciprocated, you can see how much this organization means to Logan. For him to get his start in the NHL here, and it was first class, that tribute video to Logan.”
After going undrafted, Thompson began his NHL career with the Golden Knights, playing in parts of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before a strong rookie year in 2022-23 saw him go to the All-Star Game and rank eighth in Calder Trophy voting. He hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights that spring, though a lower-body injury kept him out of the net during the postseason run.
Thompson ultimately left Vegas of his own accord, asking for a trade in hopes of getting a larger role elsewhere. He said during Training Camp that he came into the year with something to prove, at one point joking that he’d have to see if he could “even play in the league.” But putting individual comments aside, Thompson noted that he was grateful both for his years playing for the Golden Knights and for their willingness to give him a fresh start elsewhere.
“Yeah, I mean, maybe like I said, I’m a bit of a smart ass sometimes and I probably shouldn’t say the things and I say it in the heat of the moment,” he said. “But yeah, like I said, I was very thankful for Kelly McCrimmon, the Vegas Golden Knights. I wouldn’t be here today without him. And yeah, I’m just going out and having fun and just trying to prove everyone wrong every night.”
So far, he’s done just that. Thompson now has a record of 8-0-1 and is the only goalie with five or more starts without a loss in regulation, helping propel the Capitals to fourth place in the league. While he’ll always remember those years in Vegas fondly, Thompson believes he’s found his place in Washington.
“I think just mentally, I’m happy coming to the rink every day,” he said. “I think that’s huge. I’m always smiling and I love it [in Washington]. And the group took me in when I really needed a second chance and they’ve included me and it’s been great.”
