Grading the overall goaltending of Capitals at season's end

After grading the coaching, the offense, and the defense of the Washington Capitals we are back to grade the overall goaltending of the 2023-24 season. It was a Jeckyll and Hyde type of deal between Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper.

Kuemper finished with a 13-14-3 record with a 3.31 goals against average and a .890 save percentage along with one shutout. He had his good moments. He had his bad. But if he's back with the Capitals next season he has to bounce back either way.

Lindgren's emergence from backup to playoff starter is one of the best stories in the league this season. The Minnesota native finished with a 25-16-7 record with six shutouts, a 2.67 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.

Grade B-

We will do more on each goaltender individually and yes we will grade each player like we do every year here at Stars and Sticks. But here we have a 50/50 situation. So I'd have to give this one a B- thanks to Lindgren's heroics to get the Capitals back into the playoffs.

Even if it was short lived just seeing the Caps back in the big dance put an extra jump to a lot of people's steps. But alas they are swept. On the birght side happy Evgeny Kuznetsov day. No I'm talking good Kuzy who beat the Pens and exorcised the Caps demons.

The bad side of Lindgren was in the playoffs his goals against average was 3.58 and his save percentage at .864. The Caps weren't going to beat the Rangers but that -37 goal differential sadly caught up to them.

Still though you could say Kuemper needs room for improvement and Lindgren needs to continue his training becasue whatever is working for him is working for him.

What makes this more refreshing than two years ago is that we're not flipping back and fourth between who's the better goalie and who isn't. We all know the answer by now.