Logan Thompson got another victory under his belt with a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night, reaching 30 wins for the first time in his NHL career. Thompson became just the fourth goalie to hit the 30-win mark in 2024-25 and tied Connor Hellebuyck for the fewest games to do so (39).
Per NHL PR, Thompson is the fourth goalie in league history to earn 30 wins with just four regulation losses, tying for the all-time record with Tiny Thompson (1929-30), Bill Durnan (1943-44), and Linus Ullmark (2022-23). He now holds a record of 30-4-5 this season.
Thompson, for his part, credited the players in front of him for the achievement.
“It’s exciting,” Thompson said of hitting 30 wins. “I think that just shows that’s a team achievement. The guys have played so well in front of me all year. I definitely wouldn’t have hit that mark without them, so credit to all the guys in this dressing room.”
Charlie Lindgren, however, was more willing to highlight his goaltending partner’s individual achievements as he helped lift the Capitals to the top of the NHL standings.
“Awesome for him,” Lindgren said. “He’s obviously had a really good year. He’s been really productive for our team and his record is unbelievable this year. So good for the team, good for him. Hopefully he keeps on rocking.”
After going undrafted, Thompson began his NHL career with the Vegas Golden Knights but failed to secure a full-time starting position. His previous career high in wins came last season as he put up a 25-14-5 record in 46 games played for Vegas. Hoping to find a larger role elsewhere, Thompson ultimately requested a trade, coming to the Capitals at the 2024 NHL Draft in exchange for a pair of third-round picks.
Thompson has proven one of the best goalies in the league since arriving in DC, ranking second in goals saved above expected (30.6, per MoneyPuck), fourth in save percentage (.917), and fourth in goals against average (2.29) among goaltenders with 20 or more games played this season. When asked about the 30-win milestone, head coach Spencer Carbery highlighted just how far Thompson has come in a single year, from making a trade request in Vegas to signing a six-year extension to stay in Washington.
“I was really, really happy for him, proud of him,” Carbery said. “He’s had a phenomenal year and for him to get to 30 wins, first time in his career, and to do it — if you look at the [30-4-5 record], that’s remarkable. And he’s been so good all year long, so real happy for him and proud of the job that he’s done.
“And he’s earned a long-term contract in the organization, coming here. We’ll have plenty of time to reflect on what’s happened over the last calendar year for him, coming over from Vegas, but he’s been exceptional for us.”
Thompson and Lindgren had spent most of the season alternating starts, but Carbery signaled Tuesday morning that he had moved away from that strategy, now choosing which goaltender to play on a game-by-game basis. So far, that’s meant more time in net for Thompson: since February 1, Thompson has started in 11 of the Capitals’ 17 contests and played in consecutive games four times.
Though he was happy to accept whatever deployments Carbery gave him, Thompson noted the increased playing time is helping him get into a rhythm as the Caps prepare for the playoffs.
“It’s nice,” Thompson said. “I’ll do whatever this team wants me to do, any role they want me to be in. It’s nice to get in a rhythm a little bit, playing back-to-back games. It’s nice. Yeah, you get a better feeling for a puck and if you’re not happy with your game, it’s nice to just move on and get ready for the next one.”
