ARLINGTON, VA — Darcy Kuemper will backstop the Washington Capitals against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, returning to the net after playing second fiddle in back-to-back contests against the New York Rangers.
After starting the year as the Capitals’ presumed starter, Kuemper has seen his proportion of starts dwindle as head coach Spencer Carbery has leaned more heavily on goaltending partner Charlie Lindgren. Carbery opted to play Lindgren in both halves of the back-to-back this weekend, signaling not just faith in Lindgren’s abilities but a lack of confidence in Kuemper’s.
Carbery told reporters Tuesday that he and Kuemper had spoken about the decision, though he declined to offer details.
“I’ve talked to Kuemps quite a bit,” he said. “In that specific circumstance, I think I’ll keep it between us.”
Kuemper has struggled for large parts of the season, particularly in recent games. Since returning from the holiday break, Kuemper has allowed 25 goals in six games, recording a dubious 4.17 goals against average and .870 save percentage over that span. Meanwhile, Lindgren has emerged as one of the Capitals’ best players all season and currently sits third in the league in total goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.
Still, spending more and more time on the bench can take an emotional toll, particularly for a goaltender accustomed to the starting role. Carbery emphasized the importance of transparency with his players, whether or not they like his final call.
“I think open lines of communication of why we’re making decisions, thought process, I never shy away from that,” Carbery explained. “I’ll be an open book when it comes to why we–or I–make decisions when it comes to who’s starting and when. Sometimes they agree with it, sometimes they don’t. But they’ll always know why and the rationale behind them, right or wrong.”
At the halfway point of the season, Kuemper has started 21 times and is on pace for significantly fewer than the 56 starts he saw in 2022-23. Carbery said in December that he was deciding goaltenders on a “game-to-game basis,” though injuries have hampered his choices in recent weeks. Lindgren missed five games after taking a shot up high against the New York Islanders, returning as a backup on Thursday before making his first starts back against the Rangers.
After Lindgren’s stellar performances against New York, Kuemper will now have the opportunity to prove himself Tuesday against lowly Anaheim. Carbery offered a simple goal for Kuemper’s night.
“Just a solid start,” he said. Nothing outside of the realm of just be solid, be the guy he is, and give us a good quality start.”
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
