The Washington Capitals are set between the pipes with the tandem of Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren, the former of whom recently agreed to a six-year contract extension.
However, there is nothing wrong with adding some valuable depth to the position, which general manager Chris Patrick has done.
The Washington Capitals Have Signed Six-Year Veteran Cal Petersen To A Professional Tryout Agreement
The Capitals have signed veteran goaltender Cal Petersen to a professional tryout agreement, and he’ll try to earn a contract with the Capitals when Training Camp begins next month.
“Goaltender Cal Petersen will join the Washington Capitals’ 2026 Training Camp on a professional tryout agreement,” reported the Capitals’ official X account.
Petersen, just like Thompson and Lindgren, is one of the few professional goaltenders that catches with their right hand.
Cal Petersen Will Try And Earn A Contract With The Capitals
GettyPhoto by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Petersen was originally taken by the Buffalo Sabres with the 129th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. However, he never signed a contract with them and became a free agent, signing a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings.
He’d begin his career with their American Hockey League affiliate Ontario Reign before being called up to the NHL. He made his debut in relief against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and would eventually earn his first NHL victory against the Chicago Blackhawks and record his first shutout three days later against St. Louis.
Petersen continued splitting time between the Kings and Reign, earning an AHL All-Star selection in 2020. Los Angeles signed him to extensions in 2019 and again in 2021, the latter being a three-year, $15 million deal, as they saw him as their goalie of the future and successor to future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick.
However, that never materialized, and his time in Los Angeles came to a close in June 2023, when he was sent to the Philadelphia Flyers as part of a three-team trade. Petersen spent two seasons in the Flyers organization and was placed on waivers in February 2024.
He departed as a free agent in July 2025, signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild. He played last season with their AHL affiliate Iowa Wild, going 13-16-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage.
Overall in his NHL career, Petersen has gone 46-44-10 with a 2.96 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and four shutouts.
Capitals Add Depth By Signing Six-Year Veteran Goaltender