Home / News / Capitals sign goaltender Reid Cooper to amateur tryout agreement, will serve as Darcy Kuemper’s backup against Devils

Capitals sign goaltender Reid Cooper to amateur tryout agreement, will serve as Darcy Kuemper’s backup against Devils

By Chris Cerullo

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April 13, 2023 10:42 am

The Washington Capitals announced that they signed goaltender Reid Cooper to an amateur tryout agreement before their season finale matchup against the New Jersey Devils.

Cooper will serve as Darcy Kuemper’s backup against the Devils after Charlie Lindgren was hurt in Tuesday’s loss to the Boston Bruins. Lindgren did not participate in Thursday’s morning skate.

Cooper played this season with Curry College (NCAA Div. III) in Milton, Massachusetts. He posted a 20-6-1 record with three shutouts, a 1.92 goals-against average, and a .935 save percentage in 27 games. He was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference Goaltender of the Year and Co-Player of the Year for his efforts.

Cooper also played three seasons at Robert Morris University. Before that, he played two seasons of Canadian junior hockey in the British Columbia Hockey League with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and Coquitlam Express, where he was teammates with Capitals goaltending prospect Clay Stevenson.

The move to go to an amateur tryout agreement, like the Caps were forced to do earlier this month with Mitchell Gibson, is due to just how cap-strapped the Caps are right now. There is no utilization of long-term injured reserve this late in the campaign so the team is unable to recall anyone from the AHL’s Hershey Bears.

Here is the full press release from the team:

Capitals Sign Goaltender Reid Cooper to Amateur Tryout Agreement

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Reid Cooper to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Cooper will serve as a backup today versus the New Jersey Devils, with Charlie Lindgren out with an injury.

Cooper, 24, posted a 20-6-1 record with three shutouts, a 1.92 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in 27 games with Curry College (NCAA III) this season. The Corman Park, Saskatchewan native was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Goaltender of the Year and Co-Player of the Year. In addition, Cooper was named to the CCC All-Conference First Team and to the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III East All-American Second Team. In two years at Curry College, Cooper compiled a record of 33-12-3 with a 1.99 goals-against average, a .930 save percentage and four shutouts. Cooper is expected to graduate with a Master of Business Administration degree in May.

Prior to attending Curry College, the 6’2″, 195-pound goaltender played three seasons at Robert Morris University (NCAA) from 2018 to 2021. In addition, Cooper played two seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and Coquitlam Express, where he was teammates with Capitals prospect Clay Stevenson.

Headline photo: Katie Adler/RMNB

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