On Thursday afternoon, Henrik Lundqvist announced that due to health issues related to an ongoing heart condition, he would not be joining the Capitals this season. With his announcement, the Capitals now have a King-sized hole in their lineup.
Lundqvist was expected to play a significant role between the pipes for Washington, with some estimating that he could see nearly a 50/50 split in net with youngster Ilya Samsonov (if not more), who begins his first season as the starting goalie following Braden Holtby’s departure. While thoughts are with Lundqvist as we wish him a speedy and complete recovery, the question for the Caps turns to who is available on relatively short notice to fill his spot with the 2021 season seemingly just weeks away?