Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Clay Stevenson

Evening Notes: Chinakhov, Oilers, Golden Knights, Stevenson

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that Yegor Chinakhov has not been happy with his role of late. The tantalizing 24-year-old has been skating on the Jackets’ fourth line, with no attention on the power play either. When asked about the role, Chinakhov said, “No comment.” 

Portzline also mentioned Head Coach Dean Evason’s thoughts on the situation. The Jackets’ bench boss complimented the Russian forward’s play, but emphasized the team’s forward depth. 

The remark is interesting, considering that Chinakhov requested a trade over the summer, only to backtrack just 10 days ago, saying he had reached an understanding with Evason and was open to staying with the Blue Jackets. 

Columbus’ first-round choice in 2020 (21st overall), Chinakhov has flashed his high skill, lighting up the AHL in short stints, but has yet to put everything together in the NHL. The emergence of other forwards such as Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko has had Chinakhov on the outside looking in. It appears the former top prospect is at a crossroads that many have found themselves at: accepting a lesser role for the greater good to stick in the NHL, or finding a home elsewhere. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • In Edmonton, Tony Brar of Oilers TV reported that Jake Walman, who has had rumblings of an extension lately, is day-to-day, but is expected to be ready for opening night. Vasily Podkolzin is expected to resume skating on Wednesday, after the tragic loss of his father.
  • SinBin.vegas noted that two Golden Knights, Pavel Dorofeyev and Jeremy Lauzon, are both progressing, per Head Coach Bruce Cassidy. They will remain sidelined tomorrow and are questionable for the Knights’ remaining preseason games. Dorofeyev was an 82-game player last year, breaking out with an eye-popping 35 goals, while Lauzon only notched 28 games in Nashville due to injury, before an offseason trade to Vegas.
  • Having been mentioned by Kevin Weekes last week, Elliotte Friedman echoed that the Capitals will likely lose goaltender Clay Stevenson on waivers, as reported by Russian Machine Never Breaks. The undrafted 26-year-old has yet to make a sizeable NHL impact (just one game played) but has caught the eye of many clubs, and could be the latest under-the-radar goaltender to burst onto the scene. Interestingly, Friedman noted the Rangers as a possible suitor, saying they pursued the Alberta native as a college free agent before the Capitals won out. Such a claim would especially be a blow to the marquee AHL franchise, the Hershey Bears. With Weekes pointing it out and Friedman following suit, Stevenson will be a name to watch closely.

Capitals’ Clay Stevenson Possible Waiver Claim Candidate

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Kevin Weekes of ESPN noted earlier today that the Washington Capitals may be in danger of losing goaltender Clay Stevenson on waivers, as he has impressed in camp so far. 

Coming out of the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express, Stevenson went undrafted, ending up at Dartmouth College, where he posted a standout .922 save percentage and a 2.70 GAA in 2021-22. Such performance caught the eye of the Capitals, who signed him to an entry-level deal. Stevenson spent the next season mostly in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays before graduating to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he split duty with Hunter Shepard, winning the Calder Cup in 2024. 

The Alberta native made his NHL debut last April against Pittsburgh, a 5-2 defeat, despite making 33 saves. Having made a great impression in camp so far, and with a logjam in net as the Capitals have Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson set to hold things down, Stevenson has caught the eye of some teams, being just 26, with an impressive frame at 6’4″. 

Perhaps Stevenson could be of interest to two contenders who have missing pieces between the pipes, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams are thought to be searching for stability in the net and have been linked to Carter Hart as well. Given Frederik Andersen’s ongoing health issues and Pyotr Kochetkov’s overall inconsistency, the Hurricanes are evaluating many options.

Cayden Primeau stands as an intriguing in-house choice for Carolina, having flashed potential in the past with the Canadiens, and was acquired for just a 7th-round pick in June. Nonetheless, perhaps the Hurricanes could take a flyer on the Capitals’ netminder as the latest in their revolving door of depth goalies.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are no strangers to seeking goaltenders either, as they also face uncertainty, being thin behind Adin Hill. Akira Schmid, acquired from New Jersey, looked great in a small sample size last season (just 5 games), but Stevenson could have appeal as their latest under-the-radar pick-up. 

Wherever any case, Stevenson is a name to watch as roster cuts loom.

Capitals Notes: Milano, Free Agency, McMichael, Goaltending

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After missing all but three games due to an upper-body injury sustained in November, it appears that Capitals winger Sonny Milano will be good to go for training camp.  Speaking with reporters today at the end of development camp (video link), GM Chris Patrick indicated that the veteran is now ready to start going through his normal offseason regimen and that he is expected to participate in training camp.  This comes six weeks after Patrick wasn’t sure if Milano would be available to start next season.  Milano had 15 goals in 49 games back in 2023-24 and could be a useful depth scorer heading into 2025-26.  He has one year left on his contract with a $1.9MM cap charge.

More notes from Patrick’s presser:

  • While declining to say who he went after, Patrick noted that he tried to do something big to add to their roster but that it didn’t come to fruition. It doesn’t appear to be related to a lower offer than the player was looking for either, as Patrick said that “It didn’t come down to the money or the offer or the term or any of that. It was a player picking what he thought was the best situation both on and off the ice.”  There was speculation that the Capitals were one of the finalists for winger Nikolaj Ehlers who ultimately accepted a six-year, $51MM contract with Carolina while Washington brought back Anthony Beauvillier on a two-year, $5.5MM pact soon after.  In the meantime, he wouldn’t rule out signing another free agent but noted that there are some prospects who could make a push for a roster spot as well.
  • After spending most of last season on the wing, Patrick suggested that Connor McMichael could get another opportunity to line up at center next season. The 24-year-old is a natural center but with Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois on the top two lines, the decision was made to put McMichael on the wing over playing him on the third line.  It’s unclear if Patrick’s suggestion means that they’ll try that this season or if one of the other two will start on the wing to see how McMichael fares down the middle in the top six.  Speculatively, it feels like something they’ll experiment with in training camp.  Entering the final year of his contract, McMichael’s value would be higher next summer if he’s able to stay at center for the full season.
  • While AHL Hershey starter Hunter Shepard departed in free agency (signing with Ottawa), Patrick indicated that they won’t be bringing in a replacement for him to take over as the starter. Instead, Clay Stevenson will get that role moving forward.  Stevenson posted a 2.94 GAA and a .888 SV% in 33 outings with the Bears in 2024-25.  At the moment, he would partner with Garin Bjorklund, Mitch Gibson, or prospect Antoine Keller, who is under contract with Hershey but has yet to sign with Washington.

Capitals Reassign Ethan Bear, Clay Stevenson, Mitchell Gibson

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Since being eliminated from the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Washington Capitals could stand to lose a few players on their postseason roster. In an attempt to help their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, the Capitals announced they’ve reassigned defenseman Ethan Bear, and netminders Clay Stevenson and Mitchell Gibson.

Bear will be the most important piece for the Bears’ Division Finals matchup against the Charlotte Checkers. In his first full AHL season since 2018-19, Bear was impressive in Hershey, scoring 10 goals and 46 points in 62 games with a +33 rating. He led the entire Bears roster in scoring and finished tied for eighth among AHL defensemen. Fortunately, Hershey was able to eliminate their division rival, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, in five games without their top scorer.

After debuting in the NHL on the last game of the regular season, Stevenson was recalled by the Capitals yesterday in case Charlie Lindgren couldn’t participate. As it would turn out, Lindgren managed to serve in a backup role, and Stevenson will return to the AHL to help the Bears win their third consecutive Calder Cup championship. He appeared in one postseason game against the Phantoms, stopping 28 of 32 shots in Game 4, which allowed the Bears to extend the series.

Gibson is the only member of the trio who has spent little time on either team’s roster. He spent much of the 2025-26 season with the Capitals’ ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, managing a 12-1-0 record in 14 games with a .933 SV% and 1.75 GAA. Depending on what Washington does with pending unrestricted free agent Hunter Shepard this offseason, Gibson could be in line to share the crease with Stevenson in southeast Pennsylvania next season.

Capitals Recall Clay Stevenson, Charlie Lindgren Questionable

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

10:00 AM: The Capitals’ optional morning skate revealed a bit more about their call-up of Stevenson. Expected Game 5 backup Charlie Lindgren is dealing with a personal matter that could hinder his ability to suit up on Thursday, per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. If that’s the case, Washington will run with Thompson starting and one of Stevenson or Mitchell Gibson in the backup role.

9:00 AM: The Washington Capitals have recalled goaltender Clay Stevenson from the AHL in preparation for Thursday’s Game 5 matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. Washington is one loss away from being eliminated. With the Hershey Bears not playing until Friday, AHL backup Stevenson will join the Capitals as an emergency third-string goalie for the must-win contest.

It’s unlikely that Stevenson will get near the lineup with Logan Thompson holding a firm grip over the starting role. Thompson is expected to receive his 10th-straight playoff start on Thursday. He was red-hot against the Montreal Canadiens in Round One, posting a 0.923 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against-average as Washington bounced Montreal in five games. Thompson’s numbers have slipped slightly against Carolina – down to a .913 and 2.75 goals-against-average, even despite only allowing three goals on 61 shots through the first two games of the series. But even with the dip, Thompson’s numbers are strong – and will keep him unwavering in the starter’s crease.

Stevenson has served behind Hunter Shepard through the start of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs. He posted a .875 save percentage and 6-4 win in the sole appearance he’s made so far – though hasn’t been able to get over the .850 save percentage and 2-2 record of Shepard. Stevenson posted an 18-8-5 record, .888 save percentage, and 2.94 goals-against-average through the AHL regular season. He also made his NHL debut this season – and recorded five goals on 33 shots and a loss. Stevenson will likely be reassigned before Hershey’s next game on Friday, though that could change should Washington hold onto their season for one more game.

Capitals Recall Mitchell Gibson, Assign Clay Stevenson To AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the next few days off, the Capitals have made a couple of moves on the goalie front.  The team announced that they’ve recalled Mitchell Gibson from AHL Hershey while assigning Clay Stevenson to the Bears.

Gibson is in his second full professional season and spent the bulk of the year with ECHL South Carolina.  In 14 games with the Stingrays, he played quite well, putting up a 1.75 GAA and a .933 SV% while winning his only start with Hershey.  However, he has played just three times for the Bears over the last two years which might not help his cause heading into restricted free agency this summer.

As for Stevenson, he made his NHL debut in the final game of the regular season but otherwise has played exclusively with the Bears in each of the last two years.  In 33 games with Hershey this season, he posted a 2.94 GAA along with a .888 SV%, numbers that were considerably worse compared to a year ago when those checked in at 2.06 and .922, respectively.

The move will essentially serve as a swap of third-string goaltenders, allowing Stevenson to potentially see game action with Hershey during their second-round series against Lehigh Valley.  Before their series against Carolina gets underway, there’s a good chance this move will be reversed.

Capitals Recall Clay Stevenson

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Capitals announced they’ve recalled goaltender Clay Stevenson from AHL Hershey. Fellow netminder Hunter Shepard is headed back to the minors in a corresponding move.

The transaction amounts to a temporary backup swap for Washington over the season’s final two games while Logan Thompson nears a return from his upper-body injury. Shepard was recalled as Charlie Lindgren’s temporary No. 2 option and has been rostered for the Caps’ last five games. He only made one start, a fateful 7-0 loss against the Blue Jackets in which he stopped 19 of 26 shots for a subpar .731 SV%.

That was the 29-year-old Shepard’s fifth career NHL start. The other four came last season with Washington, posting a 2-1-1 record with a .894 SV% and 3.19 GAA. The spot start against Columbus was emblematic of a disappointing season for the Minnesota native in the minors. Coming off back-to-back Calder Cup championships with Hershey and AHL Best Goaltender honors in 2023-24, he’s floundered with a .891 SV% and 2.81 GAA in 37 appearances for the Bears. That’s still good enough for a 22-11-3 record behind one of the league’s strongest skater corps, but a disappointing result nonetheless on an individual level.

Now, the 26-year-old Stevenson gets a chance to start one of Washington’s final two games to allow Lindgren some rest in case he’s needed for Game 1 of their first-round series against either the Canadiens or Blue Jackets. While he was rostered briefly last season, he didn’t get into a game, so a start would mean his NHL debut. Like Shepard, his 2024-25 campaign with Hershey has been marred by individual regression. He’s posted a .888 SV% in 33 games after logging a .922 mark in his first full AHL season last year, adding a 2.94 GAA and two shutouts with an 18-8-5 record.

Shepard is a pending unrestricted free agent, although Stevenson is under contract for another two years after signing a three-year, $2.33MM extension midway through the 2023-24 campaign. He earns a one-way salary of $775K next year and in 2026-27, indicating the Caps had high hopes for him to assume an NHL roster spot. This year’s numbers plus extensions for Lindgren and Thompson have thrown a wrench into that plan, though, so he’ll instead serve as an expensive AHL option for the remainder of his deal.

Washington Capitals Sign Clay Stevenson To Three-Year Extension

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Washington Capitals have signed netminder Clay Stevenson to a three-year, $775k AAV contract extension.

According to the team release, the financial structure of the contract is as follows:

2024-25: two-way, $775k NHL salary, $200k AHL Salary
2025-26: one-way, $775k salary
2026-27: one-way, $775k salary

This contract provides Stevenson, 24, with a significant amount of financial security as he enters his mid-twenties. The six-foot-four undrafted goaltender played one season of college hockey at Dartmouth, where he was named to the ECAC Third All-Star team and All-Rookie team, before joining the pro ranks with the Capitals organization.

The Capitals signed Stevenson to a two-year entry-level contract and then stashed him with their ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays. He had a strong 2022-23 in South Carolina, posting a .916 save percentage in 36 games played. Stevenson also got into three AHL games last year, posting a 3-0-0 record and .924 save percentage.

That strong form in his debut pro year meant the Capitals could go into 2023-24 with confidence that Stevenson could be part of a strong tandem with their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears.

He’s done more than form a strong tandem, though, he’s surged to the best start of any goalie in the AHL and has firmly supplanted Calder Cup-winning goalie Hunter Shepard as the team’s most reliable option, at least at this early point in the season.

In 13 AHL games, Stevenson has a 1.70 goals-against-average and a stellar .934 save percentage. He’s looked utterly dominant at times, and he has already posted four shutouts in his relatively small sample of games played.

By signing him to this contract extension, the Capitals have accomplished a few things. First and foremost, they now have assured cost certainty for Stevenson for the next three seasons after this one.

Should he continue to play like one of the top goalies in the AHL, Stevenson could very well become the Capitals’ number-two goalie by the time Charlie Lindgren hits unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025. He’s slated to cost the bare minimum cap hit for the next three seasons, meaning if he can reach the NHL he’ll likely provide the Capitals with a solid bargain.

So given how many positives there are in this extension for Washington from a salary cap perspective, it’s fair to question why Stevenson, such a fast-rising goalie, would lock himself into such an affordable deal for the next three years after this one.

Just as the Capitals have gotten financial certainty, so has Stevenson. Although his NHL cap hit on his entry-level deal was $855k, Stevenson has not yet made the NHL. His salary in the minors has been $80k, meaning a $200k minors salary as soon as next season and then $775k for the following two years, regardless of what level he plays at, is an attractive financial package.

For as strong as Stevenson has played so far, his resume of AHL success consists of just 16 total games. While Stevenson is surely confident that he’ll continue being a strong AHL netminder, sustaining his push towards NHL call-up consideration, it’s also worth noting that sports can be extremely fickle.

By signing this contract, Stevenson financially protects himself in the case that he suffers an injury or some unforeseen steep decline in form. Could he have risked things, signed only a one-year extension, and then been in a strong position to cash in if he sustained league-best statistics for a full AHL campaign? Probably, but that’s an immense risk to take.

And in any case, if Stevenson can continue his rise he’ll nonetheless be in a position to cash in when he’s still in his twenties, which is far from old for a goaltender.

Capitals Recall Hunter Shepard, Loan Clay Stevenson To AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Capitals announced Tuesday that they’ve recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard from the AHL’s Hershey Bears and returned netminder Clay Stevenson to Hershey in a corresponding transaction.

This amounts to a backup swap behind starter Darcy Kuemper while normal backup Charlie Lindgren remains on IR. He is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and has not played since starting the team’s season opener while Kuemper was away on paternal leave.

Shepard, who guided Hershey to a Calder Cup championship last season, would have been Washington’s first recall choice knowing Lindgren would be out for a while. However, Shepard himself was sidelined with an illness – now that he’s healthy, he finds himself on Washington’s roster, likely until Lindgren can return. The 27-year-old was named MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs last season after posting a .914 SV%, 2.27 GAA and three shutouts in 20 contests. All that came in his first season as a full-time AHL netminder, spending the majority of the two previous seasons with Washington’s ECHL affiliate in South Carolina. The two-time national champion with the University of Minnesota-Duluth is undefeated with Hershey this season, going 2-0-0 with a 2.88 GAA and.885 SV%. If he makes an appearance for the Caps on this recall, it will be his NHL debut.

Stevenson, 24, made back-to-back starts in Hershey’s first two contests of the season while Shepard was on the shelf. He, too, has yet to make an NHL appearance, with Kuemper starting all three games in Lindgren’s absence. He will serve as the Bears’ starter while Shepard is up on the NHL roster.

Capitals Assign Clay Stevenson, Recall Aliaksei Protas From AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Saturday: With Kuemper back, the Capitals have reversed this transaction, sending Stevenson back to Hershey while recalling Protas.

Friday: The Washington Capitals today recalled netminder Clay Stevenson from the AHL’s Hershey Bears, as starter Darcy Kuemper will miss tonight’s season-opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins after welcoming a son last night. Forward Aliaksei Protas was loaned to Hershey to allow Washington the cap space to recall Stevenson.

Stevenson will backup Charlie Lindgren, who will start opening night for the Caps after recording a .899 save percentage in a career-high 31 games last season. The 24-year-old Stevenson has yet to make his NHL debut after signing with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2022. In his first pro campaign last season, the former Dartmouth standout assumed the starting role for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. He appeared in 36 games there, recording a 2.54 goals-against average, .916 save percentage, three shutouts, and a 19-12-3 record. He also made three appearances for Hershey, going undefeated and posting a sparkling .924 save percentage and 1.96 goals-against average.

In 2023-24, Stevenson will be the primary AHL backup to Hunter Shepard, who broke out for Hershey en route to a Calder Cup win last season and captured the playoff MVP award.

Protas, meanwhile, still does not require waivers to head to the minors and was the odd man out with 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael locking down a top-six role for opening night. The 22-year-old Belarusian was also a member of the Capitals’ 2019 class and stuck mostly in the NHL last season, notching 15 points in 58 contests. He’ll likely get recalled back to the Capitals’ NHL roster once Kuemper has rejoined the team and Stevenson is returned to Hershey.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top