On Friday the Washington Capitals signed goaltender Garin Bjorklund to a three year entry level contract that will carry an average annual value (AAV) of #843,333. Bjroklund was selected in the sixth round with the 179th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
The six foot two, 178 pound goaltender finished the season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) with an 8-36-2 record, one shutout, a 4.26 goals against average and a .877 save percentage. On April 20, the Grand Prairie, Alta., native signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Caps AHL affiliate Hershey Bears.
Bjorklund ranked fifth among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting prior to the 2020 NHL Draft. He posted a 20-5-1 record, a 2.91 goals against average and a .897 save percentage in 28 games with Medicine Hat in the 2019-20 season. His 20 wins ranked third among rookie goaltenders that season.
In 96 career WHL games with Medicine Hat, Bjroklund is 40-48-4 with three shutouts, a 3.50 goals against average and a .892 save percentage. With the Calgary Buffalos in 2018-19, he won an Alberta Midget AAA Championship registering a 1.76 goals against average and a .934 save percentage in 11 games.
This signing comes right before the playoffs and the Capitals made another signing today in Bogdan Trineyev. He plays forward and also signed a three year entry level contract. His carries an average annual value (AAV) of $859,167.
He split this season with MHL Dynamo Moscow of the Russia Junior Hockey League and the Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. The Capitals selected Trineyev in the fourth round with the 117th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He’s the second straight prospect from the 2020 draft class who was signed by the Caps in the last week.
The Caps have departed to Florida to take on the Panthers with Game 1 coming up tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. It should be an entertaining series.