It's unclear when Thompson is expected to re-join the Capitals, but their season doesn't open until Saturday, so it's safe to assume he'll be available for their opener. Thompson is expected to share the crease with Charlie Lindgren this season, his first with the Capitals.
Washington Capitals News
Bear was placed on waivers Friday but cleared on Saturday and has been loaned to the Hershey Bears (AHL) for the start of the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old is in the second year of a two-year, $4.13 million contract and had a goal, four points and 10 PIMs in 24 games played in 2023-24.
Mateiko was Washington's 2024 3rd-round pick (90th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday worth $889,167 AAV. The 18-year-old Latvian winger is expected to return to Saint Johns (QMJHL) for his third season of junior hockey after joining the Sea Dogs from Latvia in 2022-23. Mateiko was drafted after putting up 23 goals, 43 points and 20 PIMs in 49 games in 2023-24.
Washington opened training camp on Wednesday with the unfortunate update that T.J. Oshie will begin the season on Long-Term Injured Reserve due to a lingering back issue. The 37-year-old right-winger has not played more than 58 games in a single season since 2019-20 and struggled offensively in 2023-24 with just 12 goals, 25 points, and 44 PIMs in 52 games played.
Muggli was a second-round pick (No.52 overall) in this summer's NHL Draft. The 18-year-old defenseman spent the 2024 season with Zug EV (Switzerland) where he had 12 points (3G / 9A) in 42 games.
Allen was selected in the fifth round (No.136) of the 2023 NHL Draft and spent the 2024 season with the Guelph Storm (OHL). The 19-year-old had two goals and seven assists (nine points) in 25 games in 2023-24.
Protas was selected No.75 overall in this summer's NHL Draft and joins his brother (Aliaksei) in the Capitals' organization. The 17-year-old forward spent the 2024 season with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL), where he was second on the team with 51 points (14G / 37A) in 61 games.
Parascak was selected No.17 overall in this year's NHL Draft. The 18-year-old winger was eighth in WHL scoring last year with 105 points (43G / 62A) in 68 games with the Prince George Cougars. Expect him to remain in the WHL for the 2024-25 season.
Haman-Aktell came to North America last season and sept most of the year in the AHL, where he had 11 points (2G / 9A) in 55 games with the Hershey Bears. He did appear in six games with the Capitals but will likely start 2024-25 in the AHL again.
Sutter has been strictly an AHLer since being selected by the Capitals in the third-round in 2018. He's coming off the best season of his AHL career, scoring nine goals with 14 assists (23 points) in 66 games.
Philp has been with the Flames and Blackhawks organizations since turning prop in 2020 following three years at the University of Alberta. Most recently, he had six points (2G / 4A) in 15 AHL games with Rockford (AHL). Expect him to start 2025 in Hershey (AHL).
Smallman was a fifth-round pick in 2015 and has yet to appear in an NHL game. He spent the last two years in the Avalanche organization, where he had 25 goals and 22 assists (47 points) in 114 combined AHL games. He'll start 2025 in Hershey (AHL).
After two and a half seasons in Chicago, Taylor Raddysh has joined Washington on a one-year deal worth $1,000,000. The 26-year-old right-winger was expected to break out in 2023-24 after a 37-point campaign the year before, but struggled mightily only putting up five goals, 14 points and a -19 plus/minus in 73 games played.
Duhaime will join his third team in two seasons after Washington signed the bottom-six winger to a two-year deal worth $3.7 million ($1.85M AAV). The 27-year-old is in his fifth NHL season and had five goals and 13 points in 80 games between Minnesota and Colorado in 2023-24.
Washington continued to shape their brand new looking defensive unit on Monday as they signed Matt Roy to a six-year deal worth $34.5 million ($5.75M AAV). The 29-year-old completed his third straight season with mid 20's points in 2023-24 as he ended the season with five goals and 25 points in 81 games played.
Chychrun's trade requests out of Ottawa have finally been answered as the Senators agreed to trade the 26-year-old defenseman to Washington for Nick Jensen and a 2026 3rd Round Pick. Chychrun joins his third NHL team in nine years after completing his first full 82-game campaign in 2023-24 and having 14 goals and 41 points.
McMichael took a massive step forward with his game in 2023-24 after Niklas Backstrom was ruled out for the season and earned himself a two-year contract extension worth $4.2 million ($2.1M AAV). The 23-year-old averaged 5:21 TOI/GP more than his previous career high last season which led to his 18 goals and 33 points in 80 games played.
After helping Hershey successfully win the Calder Cup in 2023-24, Ethen Frank has earned himself a two-year deal worth $1.55 million ($775K AAV). The 26-year-old is entering his third AHL season after joining Hersey straight from Western Michigan University (NCAA) and had 29 goals and 47 points in 64 games with Hersey last season.
At 28-year-old, Priskie has yet to make his NHL debut but has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract with Washington on Monday. The offensively gifted defenseman is coming off a Calder Cup-winning season with Hershey (AHL) and had eight goals and 34 points in 69 games played.