Capitals Commit Critical Mistake With Recent Signing

The Washington Capitals committed a critical mistake with their recent contract extension.
Jan 16, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) looks on as goalie Logan Thompson (48) makes a save in the third period against the  Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
Jan 16, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) looks on as goalie Logan Thompson (48) makes a save in the third period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images / Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
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The Washington Capitals finalized a new contract for their starting goalie Logan Thompson, and the organization is now tied to him for six more seasons. Thompson signed a six-year, $35.1 million after being a saving grace in net since arriving in Washington D.C.

The Capitals and Thompson are thrilled with the new deal, but Washington just made a critical mistake. The extension of Thompson, like so many long-term contracts signed by NHL goaltenders, will be a contract the organization regrets sooner than later.

Thompson is signing this deal after just 121 career NHL starts. He's been successful in those starts, compiling a career goals against average of 2.55.

The criticism isn't focused on Thompson's abilities. He's been excellent this season. The criticism is levied against organizations for failing to learn that there is no dependable return on investment when signing a goalie to an expensive, long-term deal.

The harsh reality of the current NHL is that goaltending is a crap shoot. Identifying a goalie at a young age who can grow into being an organizational net minder is nearly impossible. It's why teams so rarely select one in the first round of the NHL Draft.

Perhaps even harder than scouting and evaluating young goalies is making accurate assessments of current NHL goalies. Aside from the few elite at the position, the volatility of the position persists. Multiple organizations have invested long-term into their goalies hoping for the best, only for it to come spiraling down.

Let's look at some of the goalies to sign long-term deals ove the past few seasons. The easiest example to cherry pick is Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The middling goalie is currently in the American Hockey League collecting a paycheck while the team buries him away from their NHL roster.

But look at the other recent goalie extensions. The Colorado Avalanche signed newly-acquired goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year contract. Blackwood has a career 3.01 goals against average, but has been on an absolute heater since arriving in Colorado and parlayed that into a huge extension like Thompson.

Ville Husso is another prime example. He compiled less than 100 NHL starts, albeit impressive ones, before signing a contract in 2022 that paid him an average salary of just under $5 million. Currently, he's in the same situation as Jarry, battling for playing time in the AHL and another chance in the NHL.

The bottom line is that goaltending remains the most difficult and unpredictable position in the NHL. The few teams that have franchise goaltenders have struck gold, and are unwilling to part with them. The rest, even the good ones like Thompson, have hard fall offs. You just hope you aren't the team paying them when it happens. Unfortunately for the Capitals, they are now the proud owners of this title for the next six seasons.

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