Hershey Bears captain Aaron Ness joins That's DC Hockey to discuss representing Team USA in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, his time with the Capitals, the hockey scene in Arizona, his return to Hershey, if the Bears actually visit Hersheypark, Hunter Shepard's lettuce and more. ARLINGTON, V.A. — Charlie Lindgren wasn't taken by surprise when his goalie partner, Logan Thompson, put pen to paper to ink a six-year extension with the Washington Capitals. In fact, it was something that Lindgren was expecting given Thompson's breakout year between the pipes, where he's boasted a .924 save percentage through 29 games. "I wouldn't say there's any hard feelings," Lindgren told The Hockey News. "You kind of knew, with the year LT's having and he's put himself in a really good position... being honest, you knew it was going to come at some point. "He's had a really good year. What can you say? Every time he's stepped in, he's given the team a chance to win," he added. "The contract was well-deserved, happy for him, good dude. He's got six years at least in D.C." And, while Lindgren was happy to see Thompson's hard work pay off, it did lead — as it should have — to questions regarding his role and future in the organization. The 31-year-old netminder burst onto the scene last season after stealing the starting role from Darcy Kuemper. With his .913 save percentage down the stretch, he helped Washington sneak into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, all while earning Hart and Vezina consideration in the process. This year, though, he's been part of a 1A/1B tandem with Thompson as he's tried to recapture the consistency last season. The stats don't necessarily tell the story behind his play, as he has a .903 save percentage through 24 games, but has still come up with timely saves and highlight-reel moments. But with Thompson now in D.C. long term, and Lindgren still set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Lindgren admits that he's not sure what's next. "It all depends on, you know, if everything makes sense," Lindgren said about the possibility of staying. "I've enjoyed my time here. We've got a great group of guys, and I enjoy the staff a lot. It's just something that I guess time will tell. I guess we'll have to see what the future holds." Lindgren said there has been "a little bit" of discussion with the team on a possible extension [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-report-extension-charlie-lindgren]. Still, the American-born goaltender wants to play games and continue to prove he's a starter, and Thompson's deal doesn't make that a guarantee. "I'm just trying to figure out what makes sense and how to move forward. Obviously, LT is here for six more years, and I honestly don't know exactly what's going to happen," Lindgren said. Overall, Lindgren has enjoyed his time in the District, as he's flourished into a full-time NHLer who can be relied upon. For now, though, the only thing Lindgren can do is control what he's able to control, and he believes the rest will take care of itself. "I can't say enough good things about the time I've had here, it's been nothing short of unbelievable. Truly enjoy all the guys. I guess we'll just kind of see what kind of happens," Lindgren said. "All I can do is focus on my day-to-day and getting better and just trying to put myself in a really good position. That means whenever I get the chance to go play a game, just trying to give the team a really good chance to win. That's always what I'm trying to do and what's what I'm going to continue to do." All the while, his relationship with Thompson remains status quo. "I'm going to continue to be a really good teammate to him, really good goalie partner to him," Lindgren said. "We've had a great relationship throughout this year, and (the contract's) not going to change that."
