Antoine Keller was set to play his first full professional season in the Washington Capitals organization. Instead, the French goaltender is heading back home.

On Thursday, the Hershey Bears announced that Keller’s AHL contract for the 2025-26 season has been terminated.

“Goaltender Antoine Keller has elected to return to Europe to pursue playing opportunities overseas,” the Bears wrote. “We have mutually agreed to terminate his AHL contract for the 2025-26 season. The Washington Capitals retain Keller’s NHL rights.”

Goaltender Antoine Keller has elected to return to Europe to pursue playing opportunities overseas. We have mutually agreed to terminate his AHL contract for the 2025-26 season. The Washington Capitals retain Keller’s NHL rights.

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) November 6, 2025

Keller, a Capitals’ seventh-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, ended up playing in four games for the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays from October 19 through November 1, posting a record of 2-2-0 along with a 3.54 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage.

As part of a three-man goalie rotation with the Stingrays, the 21-year-old Keller was splitting starts primarily with Mitch Gibson, who, in four appearances, was 3-1-0 along with a 1.52 GAA and .950 SV%. Seth Eisele also played in one game.

Keller, however, already has a contract with a new team and is taking his talents back to the Swiss National League. He signed a one-year deal with HC Ajoie, a team based in Porrentruy, Switzerland.

Per a French press release and a translation from Google Translate:

A great addition to HC Ajoie ✍️

HC Ajoie is pleased to announce the addition of young Franco-Swiss goaltender Antoine Keller to its roster. Drafted in 2023 by the Washington Capitals, the highly promising French international has returned to Switzerland to continue his development and gain experience.

Before crossing the Atlantic, where he recently went from Washington’s preseason camp to the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL, the 21-year-old netminder notably played 13 games for Lausanne HC last season.

The agreement covers the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons. Antoine Keller will be available to coach Greg Ireland starting Monday.

Last season, Keller suited up for Lausanne HC of the National League, posting a 5-5-0 record along with a 3.16 GAA and .894 SV% in 13 games. He was also loaned for part of the year to La Chaux-de-Fonds of the Sky Swiss League — the second-tier league in Switzerland (think: the Swiss AHL).

Keller also represented France’s national team, serving as a backup during France’s Olympic Qualifying game and appearing in four games during the 2025 World Championship.