Anderson, Thiessen announce retirement plans

The 40-year old goaltender Anderson anchored the Capitals in a backup role this past season, while Thiessen went unsigned during the past year.

Craig Anderson announced his retirement from BEARD Hockey on Thursday, bringing a 20-year professional career to a close after appearing in 24 games for the Washington Capitals this past season.

The retirement is of course pending the use of a retirement save, which Capitals GM Shawn Davis may use next month to retain Anderson's services for one additional season.

Anderson, who leaves 3 years and $1.5 million per season on the table, went an impressive 16-3-1 with a 2.85 GAA and .915 save percentage in his final season. He also appeared in one playoff game, playing 38 minutes of cleanup duty.

"It's been a long road to get to this point, but I think I'm ready to see what's on the other side," said Anderson. "It was an exciting year for us and I have no doubt the future in Washington will be bright, no matter what happens."

Brad Thiessen also announced his retirement from BEARD Hockey. A veteran of nearly 300 AHL games, Thiessen was unsigned throughout the 2020-21 BEARD Hockey campaign and retired 'in real life', triggering the retirement in this league.