The Washington Capitals have added a little more goaltending insurance, landing Rémi Poirier from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round pick, according to a team announcement.
Poirier, 25, comes to Washington after a strange stretch with New Jersey. The Devils claimed him off waivers from the Dallas Stars before the 2026-27 season, even though they already had Jake Allen and Nico Daws on the roster. But Poirier never got into a game for New Jersey, and he was rarely brought into practice during his month with the club.
His path to this point started in Dallas, where he was selected 185th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft while playing for the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques. In junior, the Farnham, QC, native put together a 62-46-13 record with a .902 SV% and 3.06 GAA.
Poirier turned pro in the 2023-24 season, splitting time between the AHL’s Texas Stars and the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. That was the last season he spent in the ECHL. Last year, he took over as the starter for Texas and posted a 27-19-8 record with a .912 SV% and 2.61 GAA, though the 2026 Calder Cup playoffs were a rougher run for him despite earlier postseason success.
His move to Washington comes with a clearer opening on the depth chart. The Capitals lost third-string netminder Clay Stevenson on waivers before the season, and Poirier is expected to fill that spot in the organization. After getting squeezed out in New Jersey, he should have a better shot at playing time with Washington.
In Other News...
Devils Quietly Made A Goalie Move That Signals Their Bigger Plan
The Capitals added a bit of insurance to their goaltending pipeline by bringing in Remi Poirier from New Jersey for a 2027 seventh-round pick. Poirier had originally been acquired by the Devils from Dallas before this season, and the move gives Washington another body in the system after Clay Stevenson was lost on waivers.
For a team that values organizational depth in net, it is the kind of low-cost shuffle that can matter more than it looks on the surface. Poirier has not appeared in an NHL game, but Washington was able to take advantage of the Devils decision to move him now rather than risk a more complicated outcome later, leaving the Capitals with a little more flexibility as they keep sorting out their goaltending picture. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Could Expose Whether Capitals Hot Start Is Actually Real
The Capitals have spent the first stretch of the 2026-27 season looking like a team that belongs in the mix, opening 8-4-0 and sitting third in the Metropolitan Division. Alex Ovechkin is still driving the offense, and Washington has found enough early rhythm to make its strong start look more than like a fluke on paper.
The next run of games should tell a lot more. Minnesota, Dallas and Florida are all the sort of opponents that can expose soft spots, and Washington is already trying to manage some defensive depth issues while keeping pace in a crowded division. If the Capitals can hold up through that stretch, the conversation around this start gets a lot more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Roster Shuffle Just Put A Familiar Defenseman In Limbo
The Capitals latest roster move created an awkward spot for Dylan McIlrath, who was placed on waivers as Washington adjusted its depth chart in the wake of recent injuries to starter Logan Thompson. With the club intent on carrying three goaltenders, the squeeze on the roster has reached a familiar defenseman who has long been part of the organizations extended picture, even if his NHL role has been far less certain.
McIlraths next stop is now tied to the waiver process, and if he makes it through, the path points back to Hershey. He has been a key figure for the Bears before, serving as captain and helping the AHL club win two Calder Cup titles, so a return there would be more of a reset than a surprise, even if it leaves his immediate NHL future hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]