Jan 21, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Victor Arvidsson (33) tries to screen Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the third period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

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Washington Capitals Accelerate Contract Talks with Logan Thompson

Washington Capitals intensify efforts to secure goalie Logan Thompson with a long-term extension ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

The Washington Capitals have “been more actively involved” in extension discussions with unrestricted free agent goaltender Logan Thompson’s representatives lately on Friday.

Washington hopes to have the soon-to-be 28-year-old signed and off the market before the 4 Nations Face-Off in a few weeks, as LeBrun reported. Recent contracts for breakout goalies of comparable age, such as the Avalanche’s Mackenzie Blackwood and the Kraken’s Joey Daccord, indicate that the Capitals are probably considering a four-to-five-year deal with an average annual salary ranging from $5MM to $5.5MM to keep him – possibly up to $6MM, Jamie McLennan of TSN informed LeBrun.

That would represent an enormous increase compared to Thompson’s existing $767K cap hit, which he secured when he inked a three-year, $2.3MM extension with the Golden Knights during his rookie 2021-22 season. The Caps required a goalie last summer after trading Darcy Kuemper to the Kings for Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Thompson wanted increased playing time in his contract year after achieving a .908 SV% in a career-high 42 starts and four relief appearances in Vegas last season.

Capitals Ramping Up Efforts To Extend Logan Thompsonhttps://t.co/4gxKYyIjb5
— Pro Hockey Rumors (@prohockeyrumors) January 24, 2025

Washington sought to obtain Thompson on the second day of the 2024 draft, dispatching two third-round selections to Vegas to create an affordable pairing for last year’s standout, Charlie Lindgren. As Lindgren and Thompson shared starts at the season’s onset, Thompson has proven to be the clear 1A choice for the emerging Caps. His impressive 22-2-3 record in 26 games is supported by a .925 SV%, placing him third in the league among goalies with double-digit starts. Those 22 victories rank third in the league and are the highest by goalies with fewer than 30 starts, surpassing former teammate Adin Hill, who has 18 wins in 29 starts for the Knights.

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Sophisticated statistics also favor Thompson, placing him as the unequivocal second choice to the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina Trophy. According to MoneyPuck, his 26.8 goals saved above expected is only 0.4 behind Hellebuyck despite playing nine fewer games, resulting in a top league-leading 1.00 GSAx/60.

It is unrealistic to expect Thompson to sustain this level of performance throughout an extension. Nonetheless, in contrast to a deal similar to Blackwood’s, he has set a solid baseline for his performance in the NHL. His SV% consistently stayed above .908 while he was in Vegas, and his GSAx has always remained positive.

Since Thompson secured a position as a full-time NHL player, worries have centered on his capacity to manage a larger workload, which he is currently alleviating with the Capitals. He embarked on a streak of seven consecutive games before Lindgren achieved a shutout yesterday against the Kraken, recording a .955 SV% during that time and a 6-0-1 record. Two of those victories were shutouts in consecutive matches versus the Ducks and Senators, and he permitted only eight goals overall during the seven-game period.

LeBrun mentioned earlier in January that the Caps had begun initial extension talks with Thompson and Lindgren, another upcoming UFA. They conducted both discussions carefully to prevent disrupting team chemistry by prolonging one before the other. Although Lindgren has maintained an above-average .904 SV% and a 2.53 GAA, he is three years senior to Thompson and possesses a more erratic NHL history.

Thompson’s recent strong performance with a heavier workload has shown he’s the more beneficial choice for Washington in the long run. Currently, Thompson is the clear top choice on the UFA market for goaltenders this summer. Names such as Hill, Lindgren, Kevin Lankinen, and Ilya Samsonov would take the spotlight following the announcement of a potential extension.

Imagn Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Logan Thompson

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Anamika Shrivastava

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