Capitals decline offers to Hofer, Bjorklund and Vikman, reshaping depth

Washington’s decision not to tender qualifying offers to Ryan Hofer, Garin Bjorklund and Jesper Vikman stripped three recent AHL and organizational contributors from the Capitals’ pipeline and left Hershey with immediate holes to patch before free agency opens July 1.

The qualifying-offer deadline passed at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, and players who are not tendered offers become unrestricted free agents two days later. For Washington, the choice removes a winger who had already moved through Hershey, an ECHL goaltender who had flashed AHL readiness, and another netminder brought in specifically to reinforce depth.

Hofer, 23, was reassigned to Hershey from the South Carolina Stingrays on January 27 after putting up seven points, including one goal, six assists, and 50 penalty minutes in 27 games with South Carolina. He had also appeared in one game for Hershey at that point. That makes his departure more than a routine paperwork move, because the Capitals are giving up a young, physical depth forward who had already shown he could handle lower-level minutes and provide some edge.

Bjorklund’s exit cuts deeper in goal. Washington re-signed the 24-year-old on June 2, 2025 to a one-year, two-way contract, then watched him deliver a strong 2024-25 season with South Carolina, where he went 21-4-3 with a 2.02 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage and one shutout in 29 games. Those numbers ranked him second in the ECHL in goals-against average and third in save percentage. He also gave Hershey two useful starts, going 2-0-0 with a 1.49 GAA and a .942 save percentage, before Washington recalled him in February 2026 when injuries and depth needs hit the big club.

Vikman’s situation carries a different layer. Washington acquired the 24-year-old from Vegas on March 5 as part of the Nic Dowd trade, which also brought back a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick. At the time, Washington said Vikman was being added to goaltending depth while he recovered from injury, and his name sat alongside Clay Stevenson and Mitch Gibson on Hershey’s goaltender list.

Taken together, the three non-tenders leave Washington searching for a new mix of AHL-ready forwards and emergency goaltenders. Hershey now has to refill a depth chart that had already been in motion, with Stevenson and Gibson carrying more of the load and the Capitals once again asking the pipeline to absorb a reset.