The Washington Capitals are finally content with their NHL tandem after years of frustration following Braden Holtby's departure, with the team satisfied with the joint play of Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson. Lindgren and Thompson are both signed through at least the next three years after signing extensions this season. Though Thompson took over as the bona fide starter to close out the year, it's expected that both will again play a 1A/1B role for coach Spencer Carbery in the regular season. Looking beyond their NHL-ready tandem, though, the depth chart has shifted a bit. The net will look different for the AHL's Hershey Bears next season, as signs point to Hunter Shepard moving on. That makes Clay Stevenson the No. 1 with the Bears, and when it comes to who will back him up, it will be a bit of a competition. Washington re-signed prospect Garin Bjorklund to a one-year extension, while 2023 seventh-round pick Antoine Keller inked a one-year deal with the Bears for next season. Mitchell Gibson is a restricted free agent and, given his growth, will likely get an extension and first crack at that full-time job with Hershey. That said, Bjorklund and Keller will likely make up the tandem with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays. Also in the system are goaltenders Chase Clark, a 2021 sixth-rounder, and Nicholas Kempf, who was taken in the fourth round of last year's draft. Clark is 23 and set to play his fifth year at Caniscius College, while Kempf, 19, will be a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame. Beyond Thompson and Lindgren, Washington sits in a comfortable spot with its goaltending,,, but it may want to add some more depth there come draft time.
