The 23-year-old just finished a standout campaign with the Harvard Crimson.
WASHINGTON. -- Just days after suiting up as an emergency backup on a tryout for the Washington Capitals, Mitchell Gibson has inked his first NHL contract with the team.
The Capitals have signed Gibson to a one-year, entry-level deal. He will sign an amateur tryout with the AHL's Hershey Bears to finish out the season with them, and his deal with Washington will begin next season.
Gibson's deal carries an AAV of $867,500. He will forego one more year of NCAA eligibility at Harvard to go pro.
Gibson has been playing with the Crimson for the last three years. He finished this past season with a .919 save percentage. Despite the strong year, he saw his NCAA career end in tough fashion in an 8-1 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Bridgeport regional semifinal on March 24.
Over 79 career NCAA games, Gibson went 47-25-6 with a 2.32 GAA and .918 SV%.
The 23-year-old will become part of an impressive pool of goaltenders already in the organization. Starter Darcy Kuemper is signed through the next four seasons, while Charlie Lindgren is signed through 2025. Zach Fucale and Hunter Shepard currently man the nets down with the Bears, and Clay Stevenson is also on the rise.
Washington took Gibson with their fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Before starting this season with Harvard, Gibson joined the Capitals for their informal skates in September to take shots from Alex Ovechkin and more. Gibson was also at the team's annual development camp in July.