Photo: Curry College
The Washington Capitals announced Thursday morning that they have signed goaltender Reid Cooper of Curry College to an ATO to serve as Darcy Kuemper’s backup tonight, with Charlie Lindgren out with an injury.
Cooper grew up in the same town as Kuemper. He was sitting on the couch with his college roommates watching the Bourne Supremacy movie when he got the call from the Capitals on Tuesday night.
The signing also means that Hunter Shepard will not make his NHL debut this season. He becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the Bears season.
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ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Reid Cooper to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Cooper will serve as a backup today versus the New Jersey Devils, with Charlie Lindgren out with an injury.
Cooper, 24, posted a 20-6-1 record with three shutouts, a 1.92 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in 27 games with Curry College (NCAA III) this season. The Corman Park, Saskatchewan native was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Goaltender of the Year and Co-Player of the Year. In addition, Cooper was named to the CCC All-Conference First Team and to the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III East All-American Second Team. In two years at Curry College, Cooper compiled a record of 33-12-3 with a 1.99 goals-against average, a .930 save percentage and four shutouts. Cooper is expected to graduate with a Master of Business Administration degree in May.
Prior to attending Curry College, the 6’2”, 195-pound goaltender played three seasons at Robert Morris University (NCAA) from 2018 to 2021. In addition, Cooper played two seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and Coquitlam Express, where he was teammates with Capitals prospect Clay Stevenson.