The Capitals prospect ranked second in the ECHL in minutes played this season.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals have recalled another goaltender ahead of their 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff run, bringing up prospect Mitchell Gibson from the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays to be a “black ace” in net.
Gibson played in his first pro season with South Carolina this year, going 22-14-3 with a .899 save percentage, 2.56 GAA and three shutouts while ranking second in the ECHL in minutes (2,532) and games played, and fifth in wins. He also got two games up with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he went 2-0-0 with a .915 save percentage and 1.92 GAA.
South Carolina is not in the postseason, so Gibson is available to come up to D.C. Both Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson, the goaltending tandem in Hershey, will have their hands full with the Calder Cup Playoffs as the Bears look to defend their title.
Gibson, 24, went to Washington in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, and the team signed him to his entry-level contract last April following an impressive NCAA career with Harvard.
Washington will be turning to starter Charlie Lindgren to open the series against New York, as the netminder has successfully stolen the starting job from Darcy Kuemper after posting a .911 save percentage and six shutouts (tied for most in the league) through 50 games. His play alone helped steal key games that ultimately sent D.C. to the postseason.
The underdog Capitals will kick off their first-round series against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
