It is never too early to lock up one of your own and the Washington Capitals have done just that. The Capitals and goaltender Logan Thompson have come to terms on a new contract extension. The new deal is for six years and worth $35.1 million, which comes out to an average annual value (AAV) of $5.85 million. This is a tidy bit of work done by the Capitals, who now have their goalie of not just the present, but the future.
Thompson Gets His Payday
Thompson was part of the big summer additions made by the Capitals. After they managed to move goaltender Darcy Kuemper and brought in center Pierre-Luc Dubois, there was a clear need for another goalie to be part of the tandem. The Capitals took advantage of the Vegas Golden Knights’ salary cap situation and managed to bring Thompson onboard. Needless to say, that addition has paid enormous dividends.
Thompson has been exactly as advertised and has been one of the best goalies this season, sporting a 2.02 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. In addition, Thompson has 26.8 goals saved above expected, showing how dialed in he’s been in the crease. These numbers are neck and neck with Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, so that’s elite company to be in. The Capitals currently sit at the top of the Metropolitan Division with 71 points and they have him to thank for that. This contract extension also signals what the future means for the franchise.
Thompson Among Capitals’ Building Blocks Moving Forward
Superstar Alexander Ovechkin is not going to play forever. However, he is still playing at a high enough level and the Capitals are ensuring to keep being competitive while he is still playing. Furthermore, inking Thompson is great for their future. Thompson is 27 years old, so his best years are still in front of him.
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With the impactful depth on the roster, the Capitals can keep competing and push forward. Not to mention, Cole Hutson and Ryan Leonard are not far away. A Capitals team that’s made a huge turnaround is only going to get better and they finally have solved their goaltending questions.
