Capitals sign G Kuemper to five-year, $26.25 million contract
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The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Darcy Kuemper to a five-year, $26.25 million contract.
The 32-year-old recorded a .921 save percentage and 2.54 goals-against average in 57 appearances with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22. In the playoffs, he backstopped Colorado to the Stanley Cup, winning in six games over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
A sixth-round pick (161st overall) by the Minnesota Wild at the 2009 NHL Draft, Kuemper spent six seasons with the Wild organization before signing with the Los Angeles Kings in July 2017. He was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in February 2018 where he would play four seasons before being acquired by the Avalanche in July 2021. He was named an NHL All-Star in 2020.
Internationally, he backstopped Canada to gold at the 2021 world championship.
He is coming off a two-year, $9 million contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million.
The Saskatoon, Sask., native has a career .918 save percentage and 2.48 GAA in 299 NHL appearances.
The Caps also took care of their backup goaltending on Wednesday as well, signing Charlie Lindgren to a three-year, $3.3 million cap hit.
In five games last season, Lindgren has a 1.22 GAA and a .958 save percentage.