The Washington Capitals will be without backup goaltender Charlie Lindgren for at least the next seven days after the goaltender was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury on Thursday.

In a corresponding move, the Caps recalled defenseman Hardy Haman Aktell from the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears.

Lindgren was injured during the team's morning skate on Monday, and was unavailable as the Caps beat the Calgary Flames in a shootout that night. Starter Darcy Kuemper made 38-of-40 saves in the winning effort.

Lindgren also missed Wednesday's tilt against the Ottawa Senators, a surprising 6-1 loss in which Kuemper allowed six goals on just 29 shots. The only game Lindgren has played this season was a 4-0 season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 13. He made 31 saves in the losing effort while Kuemper was banged up.

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The 29-year-old Lindgren is entering his second season in the nation's capital after spending nearly six seasons with the Montreal Canadiens from 2015-2020. He also briefly played with the St. Louis Blues in 2021-22.

Over his career, the Lakeville, MN native has amassed a 28-24-5 record with a 2.91 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 61 games. He started 55 of them.

Darcy Kuemper will presumably man the crease for the next three games; at the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, and again on the road against the New Jersey Devils next Wednesday.

Haman Aktell has scored a goal in two games with Hershey this season; he's originally a fourth round selection by the Nashville Predators in the 2016 NHL Draft.