Lindgren played his first game in nearly a month on Sunday, a miserable outing where he allowed eight games on 32 shots (.750 SV%) in an 8-1 loss to the New York Rangers. Making matters worse, Lindgren finished the game with an undisclosed injury, that prevented him from suiting up on Wednesday. Mitch Gibson will serve as Logan Thompson's backup in Lindgren's place.
Gibson was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals that has yet to play an NHL game. The 26-year-old has spent most of the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL, where he has a 2.79 GAA and .907 SV% in 22 games (9-8-3). Gibson will get the chance to dress on Wednesday as Charlie Lindgren (undisclosed) is not able to suit up as Logan Thompson's backup.
Thompson had his first night off in nearly a month in Sunday's embarrassing 8-1 loss to the New York Rangers, but he will return to the crease on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Capitals will need near-perfection from Thompson as they desperately try to stay in contention for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The 29-year-old Thompson snapped a four-game streak of allowing four or more goals (3-1-0) in his most recent outing with a dazzling 37-save performance (.949 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Capitals enter Wednesday's contest as -151 road favourites against a Maple Leafs team that has lost three of their last four (1-2-1).
Dunne has only played two games in the last month and will return to the sidelines as a healthy scratch on Wednesday. The 27-year-old forward is averaging 9:24 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 33 games this season.
Gibson was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals that has yet to play an NHL game. The 26-year-old has spent most of the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL, where he has a 2.79 GAA and .907 SV% in 22 games (9-8-3). Gibson was recalled for precautionary reasons in case Charlie Lindgren (undisclosed) is not able to suit up as Logan Thompson's backup.
Protas was recalled from the Hershey Bears (AHL) on Monday, and he will make his NHL debut on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The towering 19-year-old 6'6 forward, a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, has been terrific in his first professional season, scoring 62 points (28G / 34A) in 66 games with Hershey.
Lindgren played his first game in nearly a month on Sunday, a miserable outing where he allowed eight games on 32 shots (.750 SV%) in an 8-1 loss to the New York Rangers. Making matters worse, Lindgren finished the game with an undisclosed injury, that prevented him from practicing on Tuesday. That said, the team is hopeful he will not miss any time.
Thompson allowed six goals on 29 shots in the Capitals' loss in New Jersey on Thursday. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Thompson, who will be making his 10th consecutive start on Saturday. Thompson has given up at least four goals in four straight games, posting a 4.44 GAA and .852 SV%. Tonight he'll face a Blue Jackets team that has lost five straight games while averaging just 1.8 goals per game.
Thompson's play has been unpredictable lately, but he returns to the crease on Thursday as Washington tries to stay within reach of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The 29-year-old Thompson allowed three or fewer goals in nine straight games to open March, posting a stellar 2.23 GAA and .920 SV%, but only had a 3-4-2 record to show for it. Thompson finished the month by allowing four goals in three straight games, posting an ugly 3.90 GAA and .871 SV%, but had a perfect 3-0-0 record. The Capitals enter Thursday's contest as slight -103 road underdogs against a New Jersey Devils team that has scored two or fewer goals in two of their last three games (1-2-0).
Thompson's play has been unpredictable lately, but he returns to the crease on Thursday as Washington tries to stay within reach of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The 29-year-old Thompson allowed three or fewer goals in nine straight games to open March, posting a stellar 2.23 GAA and .920 SV%, but only had a 3-4-2 record to show for it. Thompson finished the month by allowing four goals in three straight games, posting an ugly 3.90 GAA and .871 SV%, but had a perfect 3-0-0 record. The Capitals enter Thursday's contest as slight -103 road underdogs against a New Jersey Devils team that has scored two or fewer goals in two of their last three games (1-2-0).
Sam Carrick (upper body) will not play on Thursday, allowing Dunne to play for the first time in over three weeks. The 27-year-old Dunne is averaging 9:31 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 31 games this season.
Protas was limited to only 6:27 time-on-ice in Washington's 5-4 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, exiting the game due to an upper-body injury, and has not played since. The 25-year-old forward has 47 points (23G / 24A) in 70 games this season. With only seven games remaining in Washington's regular season, it appears that Protas is targeting a return before the end of the season.
