The Hershey Bears announced Saturday that they have recalled goaltender Mitch Gibson from the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. Gibson’s call-up suggests that the Bears will soon see one of their netminders, Clay Stevenson or Garin Bjorklund, sent to the Washington Capitals.
Gibson’s recall comes after Charlie Lindgren was unable to dress for the Capitals against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night due to an upper-body injury. Lindgren was a late scratch, forcing the Caps to use practice netminder Parker Milner as an emergency backup to Logan Thompson.
“I wouldn’t say significant, but he’s going to be out,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said of Lindgren postgame.
Stevenson is the lone netminder in the Capitals’ minor-league system with prior NHL experience, making his debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins last April. He made 33 saves in a 5-2 loss, impressing Carbery. This season in the AHL, Stevenson is 7-4-0 with a 2.54 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
In 11 ECHL appearances this season, Gibson is 7-4-0 with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and one shutout. The 2018 fourth-round draft selection has played in three career AHL games for the Bears over the past two years.
The Capitals returned home after their four-game road trip and took Saturday off. They’ll be back on the ice Sunday morning ahead of their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena later that night.
Update (6:27 pm): Clay Stevenson appears to be on his way to the Capitals. Garin Bjorklund and Mitch Gibson were Hershey’s goaltending duo against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday night.
Here’s the full press release on Gibson’s recall from the Stingrays:
BEARS RECALL GOALTENDER MITCH GIBSON
Netminder has gone 7-4-0 with the Stingrays this season with a 2.20 goals-against average
(Hershey, PA – December 6, 2025) – The Hershey Bears have recalled goaltender Mitch Gibson from the club’s ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays. The announcement was made by Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer.
Gibson, 26, has gone 7-4-0 in 11 games with the Stingrays this season, posting a 2.20 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage to go along with one shutout. He was the ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the period of Nov. 3-9.
The netminder appeared in one game with Hershey last season, stopping 26 shots to earn a win at Springfield on Oct. 26, 2024. In 2024-25 with the Stingrays, Gibson went 12-1-0 in 14 games, posting a 1.75 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage in an injury-shortened season.
The Phoenixville, Pennsylvania native is 3-0-0 in his AHL career with Hershey with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. He made his AHL debut on Oct. 22, 2023, stopping 21 shots in a win at Bridgeport. He served as Hershey’s third goaltender during the team’s run to the 2024 Calder Cup title.
With the Stingrays as a rookie in 2023-24, Gibson went 22-14-3 with a 2.56 goals-against average, an .899 save percentage, and three shutouts. Gibson’s 2.56 goals-against average ranked third among ECHL goaltenders with 40 or more games played. He was credited with a goal in the Stingrays’ win over Savannah on Dec. 1, 2023, becoming the 16th goaltender in ECHL history to score.
Gibson was selected in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals.
