The Washington Capitals loaned goaltender Garin Bjorklund to the AHL's Hershey Bears as part of training camp roster cuts. Bjorklund played 31:15 in the preseason opener versus the Boston Bruins, stopping all 15 shots after relieving Logan Thompson. The Capitals drafted him in 2020 and signed him to an entry-level deal in spring 2022. He posted strong ECHL numbers and went 2-0 in two AHL appearances last season. The team extended him for 2025-26 with $110k minor and $775k NHL pay, and he will be a restricted free agent afterward. With Clay Stevenson potentially subject to a waiver claim, Bjorklund could become Hershey's starter and Washington's third goalie, joining Mitch Gibson and Seth Eisele under coach Derek King.
"Bjorklund impressed during his only preseason game, playing 31:15 of the Capitals' exhibition opener against the Boston Bruins on September 21. The 23-year-old backstop came on in relief of Logan Thompson, stopping all 15 shots he faced in a 5-2 victory. The Capitals selected Bjorklund in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, signing him to an entry-level contract in the spring of 2022."
"The Calgary native had his breakout pro season last year with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays, posting a 21-4-3 record, a 2.02 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and one shutout. He also played two games for the Hershey Bears in the AHL, going 2-0 with a 1.49 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. Bjorklund's big year led to the Capitals extending him for the 2025-26 season, where he'll get paid $110k in the minors and $775k in the NHL."
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