The Washington Capitals are bringing Calvin Petersen into training camp on a professional tryout agreement, giving the veteran goalie a chance to work his way into the organization.
Petersen has seven NHL seasons on his résumé, but the last two years have been spent in a full-time AHL role. That stretch came with the Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota Wild, and now he enters a Capitals goaltending picture that already looks crowded.
Washington is set with Logan Thompson as the starter through 2031 and Charlie Lindgren as the backup through 2028. In the AHL, Clay Stevenson is lined up to take over as the Hershey Bears’ starter after going 18-0-0 with a .912 save percentage in 37 games last season. That leaves Petersen competing with Mitchell Gibson, who spent half of the 2025-26 season in the ECHL, for the backup job behind Stevenson.
On paper, Petersen brings the kind of experience that should give him an edge in that battle. He had a .896 save percentage in 33 games with the Iowa Wild in the 2025-26 season and a .894 save percentage over 59 games across two seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. His NHL track record is still the biggest part of his case: 106 games total, including 101 with the Los Angeles Kings and five with the Philadelphia Flyers, along with 46 wins and a .903 save percentage.
If Washington does keep him around, it would give the club four goalies who could handle NHL action if needed. That kind of depth could matter, even if the Capitals have not dealt with many goalie injuries lately. For Petersen, the task is simple: beat out the unproven Gibson and show enough value to earn a contract for the 2026-27 season.
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Andrew Cristall Faces A Crowded Capitals Camp Battle
Andrew Cristall arrives at Capitals training camp with some momentum after a strong first pro season in Hershey, where the 21-year-old turned heads as one of the organizations more intriguing young forwards. His development has put him squarely in the conversation for a job in Washington, and that makes camp feel especially important for a player trying to convert promise into an NHL roster spot.
The challenge is that the path is far from clear. Spencer Carbery said the Capitals will have plenty of new faces and young players battling for positions, and Cristall is entering that mix at a time when the lineup picture is crowded. For a prospect on the rise, the next step is not just showing he belongs, but doing it in a camp full of players chasing the same opening. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Goalie Battle Just Got More Complicated Behind Thompson And Lindgren
With Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson already in place, Washington has added another layer to its goaltending picture by bringing in Cal Petersen on a professional tryout agreement for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 season. Petersen has spent most of the past four seasons in the AHL, with brief NHL stops with the Kings and Flyers, and the Capitals are looking at him as a veteran piece while they sort through the rest of the depth chart.
The move gives Washington a little more stability as camp opens, especially with the team trying to evaluate how the entire goalie group fits together. Petersen is not being brought in to change the top of the chart, but his experience and steady profile make him an important name to watch while the Capitals decide how they want to manage their options behind Thompson and Lindgren. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Add Goalie Competition As Camp Battle Starts In Net
The Capitals are adding another layer to their goaltending picture heading into training camp and the preseason, bringing in Cal Petersen on a professional tryout agreement. Petersen arrives with NHL experience from his time with the Kings and Flyers, and he spent last season in the AHL with the Iowa Wild, giving Washington a veteran option to examine as camp opens.
For a team that is about to sort out its depth in net, Petersen gives the Capitals another name to watch in a competition that can shift quickly once the skates hit the ice. His most recent NHL work came with Philadelphia in 2023-24, and now he gets a chance to make a stronger case in Washington with a contract for the 2026-27 season on the line. [Read more 🡒]