Logan Thompson had a career best year in 2025-26, setting single season highs in goals-against average (2.44), save percentage (.912), shutouts (4), and games played (58), while tying his career high in wins (31). He also led the NHL in goals saved above expected (29.3), per MoneyPuck, leading to a fourth place finish in Vezina Trophy voting as goaltender of the year.
While Thompson has looked sharp for much of this season, his numbers through 10 starts are rocky.
Thompson is 5-4-0 with a 3.22 goals against average and .887 save percentage — numbers well below his career averages (2.60 GAA and .911 SV%). He currently sits 25th in the league with 0.90 goals saved above expected.
Logan Thompson’s 2026-27 season statistics
| GP | W | L | OTL | GAA | SV% | SO | SA | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3.22 | .887 | 0 | 265 | 235 |
Thompson is also coming off one of the worst two-game stretches of his Capitals career, after allowing eight goals on his last 38 shots during consecutive appearances against Minnesota and Dallas — good for a .789 save percentage during that stretch. Against the Wild, a frustrated Thompson tried to break his stick leaving the ice as the Capitals surrendered three goals in the third period, including an empty netter, in a 5-1 loss.
He then was pulled for just the second time under Carbery in a 6-5 loss To Dallas. Thompson allowed four goals on 11 shots, including a natural hat trick in the second period to Jason Robertson.
While his recent games and overall numbers would suggest something is off, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has been pleased with his starting netminder’s work overall and thinks he’s been a victim early of bad circumstances.
“I think he’s been solid this year,” Carbery said. “And I think he’s been, how will I say this? His numbers, I feel like in a few of the games early in the year, and I remember we won, but I remember late in the games being like, ‘Geez,’ like, ‘(We) should have closed that out 4-1′, and it ends up being 4-3. And it’s fine, but then when you look at Logan, and I’m just specifically, and he could care less as long as we win the game, he’s whatever. But to your question about his numbers not being quite where they were last year in the .900s with a save percentage or a two goals against average, that 4-1 game just went from a one goals against average and a .940 to a three goals against average and an .890. And I thought he played great in the game. We just gave up two late goals.
“So I felt like that’s happened multiple times this year, whether it was the Jersey game, whether it was Minnesota the other night. Think about it like this. We lose that game 2-1. Maybe they get an empty-netter, 3-1. So it looks like LT, two goals against, .910. It’s a pretty good night. Next thing you know, it’s 5-1 And so now he’s leaving that game, his numbers are whatever they are, but they’re in the .800 save percentage. So I just feel like that’s happened to him.”
Looking deeper at his numbers, Thompson has given up nine goals in tied-game situations, a decent but unremarkable number that ranks him (in rate) 27th out of the 46 most played goalies this season.
When the Caps are leading, Thompson is above average, saving 3.7 goals better than expected based on the volume and quality of shots he has faced.
It’s when the Caps are already losing that Thompson struggles, allowing 3.8 goals worse than expected. That puts Logan in the lower third of the goalie cohort, and it’s where his performance is lagging most.
Compare to last season, when Thompson was lights-out (7.6 goals better than expected, third best) when the Caps were down one goal, and even better (11.5 goals better than expected, fourth best) when the Caps were protecting a one-goal lead. That clutch play made Thompson the league’s best goalie by GSAx (goals saved above expected) last season. Now, in the same stat, he ranks a middling 19th out of 45.
“(The) overall body of work, I’ve been happy with (Thompson’s) game,” Carbery said. “Do I think he has another level where we saw last year where he went 18 straight starts with under three (goals given up). Like, does he have that? Absolutely. He can go on a run like that again.”
One of the biggest differences between this season and last is the Capitals’ roster, which saw veteran defenseman John Carlson get dealt at the trade deadline. The Capitals’ backend has been in flux ever since and part of the reason is injury and new opportunity. Rasmus Sandin has missed the entire start of the 2026-27 campaign as he recovers from knee surgery while Matt Roy and free-agent acquisition Vincent Desharnais have missed chunks of time. The team’s depth issues recently forced GM Chris Patrick to claim Jack St. Ivany, who has been a pleasant surprise, off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets.
While all that chaos has happened, rookie rearguard Cole Hutson has also been settling in for his first full season in the NHL.
The roster and role changes combined with Thompson’s struggles at times have caused the Capitals to have a goal differential of just plus-1 (49-48) early in the season despite the added firepower upfront.
Carbery concluded, “I focus on, I don’t mean this disrespectfully to Logan, I could care less about how he, like I want him to play well, but I’m worried about, can we limit what we’re giving up and can we play really well in front of him, and then he’ll look after what he needs to look after.”
