Capitals Have Not Yet Extended Contract Offer to Pending UFA Logan Thompson
The Washington Capitals made significant roster moves last summer, reshaping their team and helping them to a strong 27-10-4 record in the first half of the 2024-25 season. While all seven additions have played a role in the team’s success, none have been as impactful as Logan Thompson.
Acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights for two third-round picks, Thompson has been dominant in his first 21 starts with the Capitals, posting a 17-2-2 record, a 2.32 goals-against average, and a .919 save percentage. The 27-year-old goaltender’s excellent performance comes as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July. However, according to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the Capitals have yet to offer him a new contract.
“The Capitals have been a great story this season,” Weekes tweeted on Thursday. “Both of their goalies are pending UFAs and playing well. Thompson is 17-2-2 and a Vezina candidate, yet the Caps haven’t made a contract offer and the price is going up.”
Thompson is currently earning just under $767k this season, below the league minimum, so he is expected to command a substantial raise. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, while the Capitals intend to keep both Thompson and Charlie Lindgren for the rest of the season, it’s unlikely they’ll retain both long-term.
The NHL goaltending market has seen some major moves recently. The New York Rangers set a new benchmark with Igor Shesterkin’s record-breaking eight-year, $92 million extension. In late December, the Colorado Avalanche also signed MacKenzie Blackwood to a five-year, $26.25 million deal.
Blackwood, 28, is considered a good comparable for Thompson, as both are near the same age and have posted similar stats during their breakout seasons.
| Goaltender | W/L/OT | GAA | SV% | GSAE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Thompson | 17-2-2 | 2.32 | .919 | 18.5 |
| MacKenzie Blackwood | 13-10-4 | 2.58 | .918 | 13.5 |
According to AFP Analytics, Thompson’s next contract is projected to be a four-year, $22.56 million deal based on the current NHL salary cap projections. The most comparable contract for Thompson’s upcoming negotiations is Jordan Binnington’s six-year, $36 million deal with the St. Louis Blues, signed in 2021.
With the NHL salary cap expected to rise to at least $92.5 million next season, the Capitals have several other key players headed for free agency, including Lindgren, Jakob Chychrun, Andrew Mangiapane, Lars Eller, Nic Dowd, Taylor Raddysh, and Jakub Vrana.
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