Logan Thompson was traded to the Washington Capitals by the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday for third-round picks in the 2024 and 2025 NHL Drafts.
The 27-year-old goalie went 25-14-5 with a 2.70 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and one shutout in 46 regular-season games (42 starts) and 2-2 with a 2.35 GAA and .921 save percentage in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The third-round pick this year initially belonged to the New York Islanders.
Thompson held an autograph session for fans in Las Vegas shortly after the trade was announced.
“Yeah. It’s weird,” Thompson said. “I’ve never been traded before in juniors or pro, so a lot of emotions still running through me and it’s going to take a couple days to process. The only thing I’ve ever known in the NHL is the Golden Knights, so it’s going to be different.”
Signed by Vegas as an undrafted free agent in July 2020, Thompson is 56-32-11 with a 2.67 GAA, a .912 save percentage and four shutouts in 103 regular-season games (95 starts). He did not play in the playoffs last season when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup because of an injury.
“I think I had a good four years,” Thompson said. “I’m going to miss it. I don’t have really any bad memories here. Vegas, obviously, gave me a chance in the NHL and to get the chance to be a Stanley Cup champion. So, I’ll remember that forever and Vegas will always be home.”
Thompson split time with Adin Hill this season and is hoping for a chance to play more.
"Logan had gotten to a point in his career where he felt he needed a change, so he had requested a trade from the organization," Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. "... It happens. We accommodated that here today with a trade that we think represents good value for Logan and gives him that opportunity that he was looking for to pick up and begin again elsewhere. For Logan, he feels really strongly that he can go somewhere, compete and be that guy. That’s his motivation."
Washington traded goalie Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois on June 19.
“It was an opportunity to get a good goalie with some upside. We had to add,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. “We’re going to have to have four goalies. We only had three after the trade, so we look at it as a potential guy that’s going to improve and we’ll see what happens in the future with him.”
Thompson participated in Capitals development camp in 2018 and 2019 and spent the 2019-20 season in their organization with South Carolina of the ECHL.
“You try to stay off social media and you see rumblings and rumors and stuff, but I wasn’t necessarily surprised,” Thompson said. “So, I’m happy to come back to Washington. That’s kind of where my career started, and I have a lot of good relationships out there, so I’m happy to come back.”
NHL.com staff writer Tom Gulitti and director, senior fantasy editor Pete Jensen contributed to this report
