Yahoo Sports In The NHL, Dogs Are Goalie's Best Friend. For Capitals Goaltender Charlie Lindgren, That's Riley
ARLINGTON, V.A. — When Charlie Lindgren's not in between the pipes for the Washington Capitals, you can usually find him at home in the backyard or at the dog park.
The 30-year-old netminder has a deep love for dogs, but none deeper than that for his four-and-a-half-year-old dog, Riley, who's named after country singer Riley Green.
"I can say 100 percent, he's truly my best friend," Lindgren said of Riley.
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Lindgren and his wife, Mikkayla, rescued Riley, a Labrador Australian Shepherd mix, during the COVID-19 pandemic. He originally came from Oklahoma and would end up in Missouri, then Minnesota, where the Lindgrens ultimately decided to rescue him and make him a part of the family.
For Lindgren, it was the best decision he's made, especially as a professional goaltender who faces the pressure and highs and lows of the NHL every other night.
"It's really nice when I come home from, whether it was a hard day or easy day at the office, just coming home and you open the front door and he couldn't be more excited to see you," Lindgren said. "He constantly puts a smile on my face."
Though Lindgren's on the road a lot, he'll make all the time he can for Riley when he's at home, though just relaxing isn't usually on the itinerary — at least not for long, anyway.
"Any time I get a chance to hang out with him, I love doing it... he loves playing fetch, and we're constantly hanging out and having fun," Lindgren said.
"If we're just hanging out, if I'm just sitting on the couch, he doesn't like when I do that," he laughed. "He wants the attention all the time."
Riley was good friends with Darcy Kuemper's dog, Rogue, before Kuemper got traded to Los Angeles, and now, he's trying to make new friends as Logan Thompson and new teammates bring new friends into town.
The biggest bond, though, that remains is the one he shares with his dad.
"Having a dog for me, it's extremely important," Lindgren said. "I love him, love him to death.".
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