Charlie Lindgren Opens Up About First Full NHL Season, Capitals Marvel At His Presence On & Off Ice: 'Absolute Workhorse'

Charlie Lindgren opens up about his continued growth and play in his first full year up with the Washington Capitals, while his teammates discussed his work ethic and presence.

ARLINGTON, V.A. -- As is usually the case, Washington Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren makes his way off the ice long after practice is over. He usually stays on later -- much later -- to fine-tune his game while working with the team's extra forwards. Drenched in sweat, he sports a big smile as he takes in the dressing room around him, the very one that's changed the course of his pro career.

Last summer, Lindgren got the phone call of a lifetime, as he was offered a three-year contract and first full-time NHL role in D.C. He put pen to paper on the opening day of free agency, shot a text over to Darcy Kuemper and got ready to hit the road. And looking back, Lindgren knows he made the right choice.

^"What's behind [my enthusiasm] is really just the journey that I've travelled to get here. There's been a lot of ups and downs... this is absolutely where I want to be," Lindgren told The Hockey News. "I couldn't be happier to be a Washington Capital.

"You're able to kind of take a step back for a moment and just kind of reassess where you're at. When I look at the games I've played, I'm pretty happy with the way it's gone."

Lindgren started 26 games and played in 31 for Washington this past season and also made a statement as a star of the month back in December when he led his team through a surge with Darcy Kuemper concussed. Through 11 games that month, he boasted a league-high nine wins with a .929 save percentage and 2.02 GAA.

There were some struggles later in the year that led to a final .899 save percentage to close out the year. And while he wanted some of those goals back, he remained confident in his ability and said that he did what he wanted to do: improve and play a key role, whether he was starting or backing up.

"I come to the rink every day with a purpose," Lindgren said. "I want to get better on the ice. I want to be a really good teammate off the ice.

Lindgren took the locker room by storm, making an impression as soon as he walked through the doors of MedStar Capitals Iceplex. T.J. Oshie took a glance at him and did a second take, seeing a fellow Minnesotan stroll in sporting a handlebar mustache and iceberg pads. He didn't know exactly what to make of him at first, but as soon as they met face-to-face, Oshie knew that the team got a major asset.

"Any time you see a guy come in with a mustache, and it looks good, and he rocks it, you know he’s either a phenomenal, unbelievable guy, or he’s a poser. Chuck, he's a phenomenal guy," Oshie laughed, adding, "He'll fit in any locker room in the league; when you get a guy that works that hard, it's just more fun to be around them. Just a down-to-earth, awesome, funny guy."

His fun-loving personality and passion for the game were contagious from the get-go, and that also translated onto the ice. The 29-year-old approaches each practice with the intensity of a game, sprawling out and going to extremes to ensure the puck doesn't cross the goal line, whether it's part of morning line rushes or a mini scrimmage.

The same holds true in games, where some of his saves -- including the famous one against the Boston Bruins without his glove -- have made multiple highlight reels.

"He’s a guy that takes a lot of pride in his game and never gives up on any puck," Tom Wilson said.

It's that work ethic that took his teammates aback from the get-go.

"Chucky, he's a competitor. It's nice to see a goalie that honestly hates getting scored on as much in a game as he does in practice. Sometimes that's a rare thing," Oshie said, adding, "That guy grinds and he won't quit."

"He's an absolute workhorse. His role, he comes to the rink every day, puts in the work before practice, he's probably the last guy off the ice every day, and when he's played, he's played well," Matt Irwin added.

When it comes to his play, he tipped his cap to Kuemper for helping with his development.

He and the 2022 Stanley Cup champion clicked quickly and became close thanks to early morning on and off-ice sessions, coffees and the budding friendship between their dogs, and in turn, Lindgren was able to build on his game by soaking up as much knowledge from his goalie partner as possible.

"We spend a lot of time together. The goaltending position, you spend a lot of time stretching, so we do a lot of that, just kind of BS-ing in the morning," Lindgren said. "Sitting on some foam rollers, hanging out, talking... it's huge to have a really good partnership with a goalie partner, and Darcy and I, we certainly have that.

"It's been fun to watch him as a goalie and learn from him because he's awesome at what he does... I can't say enough really good things about him."

INSIDE THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS ROOM: Darcy Kuemper & Charlie Lindgren Share Tight Bond Through Dogs, Goaltending

Going into his second full NHL campaign, Lindgren hopes to continue to grow his game and make his mark with the Capitals while also proving his worth as a reliable go-to option between the pipes.

"I'm just a very thankful guy... Being a part of this group and living in this area, I think life's so good right now," Lindgren said.

His teammates, though, already know what he can do, and they're excited to see where he goes from here.

"We respect the heck out of him in this locker room. The job he's done for us, the way he competes every day makes us better," Irwin said. "He continues to work hard to put himself in the best position."