The Washington Capitals are likely to get their number-one goaltender back in net on Thursday night.
Logan Thompson, who has missed the past four games with an upper-body injury, was the first netminder off the ice at the Capitals’ morning skate ahead of their game against the Predators. While the 28-year-old Thompson appears set for his planned return, Caps head coach Spencer Carbery would not confirm anything during his pregame media availability.
“I will find out,” Carbery said. “Haven’t talked to Serbs (head athletic trainer Jason Serbus) yet.”
Thompson was injured in the Capitals’ 5-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken on January 27. He took a Vince Dunn slap shot directly to the mask and needed a few moments to collect himself before finishing the game. A concussion spotter did not remove Thompson for evaluation.
With both Thompson and Charlie Lindgren out injured, the Capitals saw Clay Stevenson start their last three games, including two on back-to-back days. Stevenson went 2-1 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
Stevenson and backup Garin Bjorklund were also on the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex ahead of Thursday’s game, despite one of them needing to be demoted to the AHL’s Hershey Bears if Thompson were to be activated from injured reserve.
Thompson, soon headed to Italy to play for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, is 18-16-4 this season with a 2.46 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage, and two shutouts. He has dominated the Predators during his career, going 5-1 in six starts against them with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.
Outside of the crease, the Capitals will also be welcoming Pierre-Luc Dubois back for the first time since October 31. Dubois, set to play between Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson, comes into the lineup in place of Sonny Milano, who will miss the game for personal reasons.
The Predators, soon to be without former Capitals head coach Barry Trotz as their general manager, will be playing the back half of a back-to-back against the Capitals. They dropped a 6-5 overtime game to the Minnesota Wild on home ice, Wednesday night.
