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Charlie Lindgren

Capitals Notes: Sandin, Oshie, Lindgren

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Tom Gulitti of NHL.com is reporting that Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin missed practice this morning and won’t play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team told reporters that Sandin was out with an illness, and it is not known how long he will remain out of the lineup, but they will reassess how he is feeling tomorrow before deciding on whether he will play on Sunday. Recently signed Ethan Bear took Sandin’s spot in the top 4.

The 23-year-old is in his first full season with the Capitals after he was acquired in February 2023. He started slowly this season but has picked up his game in recent weeks and has five assists in his last five games. The Uppsala, Sweden native has seen a massive increase in his ice time this season as he is playing over 22 minutes a night for Washington after averaging between 17-19 minutes a game in previous seasons while he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In other Capitals notes:

    • Gulitti is also reporting that Capitals forward T.J. Oshie has gone back home to Minnesota to undergo treatment as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury. The 37-year-old hasn’t played since December 16th in Nashville and has been largely ineffective this year with just two goals and two assists in 21 games. The Capitals haven’t offered a timeline on Oshie’s return as of yet.
    • Gulitti tweeted today that Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren skated with the team this morning and is eligible to come off the injured reserve and serve as a backup on Sunday when Washington takes on the Los Angeles Kings. Still, the team is going to take a wait-and-see approach to get a better idea of his health before they re-insert him into the lineup. Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury last Friday and has not played since, he has been unbelievable this year for the Capitals posting a 7-3-3 record with a .928 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average.

Capitals Activate Max Pacioretty Off LTIR, Place Charlie Lindgren On IR

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The Capitals welcomed one of their key summer signings to the lineup tonight as before their game against New Jersey, the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Max Pacioretty was cleared to play, meaning he was taken off long-term injured reserve.  He’ll line up on their third line, taking the place of Hendrix Lapierre in the lineup.  To make room on the roster, Charlie Lindgren has been placed on IR, notes Sammi Silber of The Hockey News (Twitter link).

The 35-year-old is working back from his second torn Achilles tendon in less than a year.  As a result, he missed all but five games last season and while the hope was that he wouldn’t miss too much action this season, Pacioretty wound up missing Washington’s first 35 contests.

In the past, Pacioretty has been a capable top-six forward and averaged better than a point per game over his last two seasons with Vegas before being moved to Carolina in 2022 as a part of a salary cap dump move.  However, over those two seasons, Pacioretty missed 77 games due to injury before missing 77 more last year so there are certainly some concerns about how he’ll hold up down the stretch.

Those concerns were addressed with the contract that he received this summer, one that guaranteed a base salary of just $2MM, well below what a typical top-six forward receives.  Per CapFriendly, Pacioretty will receive another $1MM at the 10-game mark, $500K at 15 games, and another $500K once he plays in his 20th contest so the veteran will need to show that he can stay healthy if he wants to max out those incentives.

Pacioretty’s return will certainly be a welcome one for a Washington team that has struggled considerably offensively this season; only one team has fewer goals than the Capitals.  While it wouldn’t be fair to expect him to make a big impact right away, if he does stay healthy, he could give their attack a bit more depth at a minimum.

As for Lindgren, he missed Saturday’s game against Nashville and is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.  He’ll now be out for a few more days at least; once he’s cleared to return, Hunter Shepard will likely be returned to AHL Hershey.  Lindgren has done quite well in limited action this season, posting a .928 SV% with a 2.27 GAA in 15 appearances so far this season.

Capitals Notes: Fehérváry, Jensen, Oshie, Milano, Lindgren, Pacioretty

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Capitals defenseman Martin Fehérváry won’t be sidelined for long with his upper-body injury. After missing the team’s Saturday game against the Predators, the Slovak defenseman is eyeing a return against the Penguins tomorrow and skated in his normal spot on the team’s top pair alongside John Carlson at practice this morning, head coach Spencer Carbery said (via The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson).

Fehérváry sustained the injury early in last Friday’s game against the Islanders, skating just 2:18 before falling awkwardly into the boards and struggling to get to his feet. The 24-year-old has arrived as a legitimate top-four shutdown defender this season, posting the best possession metrics of his career and logging some penalty kill time with good relative results. His offense was never expected to be the calling card of his game, although his five points through 28 games is a bit slower pace than his career 0.22 points per game average.

Other notes from Capitals practice this morning:

  • If Fehérváry can return for tomorrow’s game, expect Nick Jensen to sit out as a healthy scratch to create room in the lineup, per the AP’s Stephen Whyno. The arrival of Ethan Bear, who made his Capitals debut Saturday and played over 20 minutes, has created a bit of a roster crunch, especially among the team’s right-shot defenders. Still, this is disappointing news for the 33-year-old, fresh off signing a three-year, $12.15MM extension. He’s yet to score a goal in 34 games this season and has logged just six assists, a sharp decline after notching nearly 30 points last season. His possession metrics have also nosedived after a few seasons of being one of the strong possession-control players in the league, limiting his on-ice value and making the choice to extend him look a tad dicey.
  • Carbery issued multiple injury updates after practice as well, calling the latest news on IR-bound forwards Sonny Milano and T.J. Oshie “not positive,” per Johnson. Oshie is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Milano will be out longer on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury. The update is arguably a good sign for Oshie, though, signifying he’s getting closer to a return after missing the team’s last seven games. It’s been a tough season for the 37-year-old winger, who’s dealing with his second significant injury absence and has just four points in 21 games. Milano, meanwhile, has already missed nine games with his injury and doesn’t appear close to returning to practice anytime soon. The middle-six skill winger was amidst a down season with eight points in 23 games.
  • Netminder Charlie Lindgren is also listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Carbery said. He sat out Saturday’s game against the Predators after leaving in the first period of Friday’s game and will miss at least two more contests. Lindgren, 30, has been one of the most statistically efficient netminders in the league this year, and his .928 SV% is tied with the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman for second in the league among all netminders with at least ten starts.
  • Veteran winger Max Pacioretty, now coming off his second Achilles surgery in a matter of months, is expected to make his Capitals debut in the second half of the Capitals’ upcoming back-to-back against the Devils on Wednesday, per Carbery. Pacioretty has been nearing a return for weeks, but Carbery said the Capitals have been trying to position his return without needing him to play in back-to-back contests. The 35-year-old was limited to just 44 out of 164 contests in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons due to Achilles injuries.

East Notes: Chytil, Capitals, Jost, Senators

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Rangers center Filip Chytil has returned to his native Czechia as he continues his recovery from a suspected concussion sustained back in early November, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.  While the 24-year-old has made some progress skating on his own, this move will basically serve as somewhat of a reset in his recovery.  While there, Chytil will keep skating while working with the trainer and skills coach that he works with in the offseason.  There is no word for how long he’ll be at home but Brooks notes that Chytil is committed to returning this season.  Chytil had a career year last season with 45 points and was off to a nice start this year before the injury, collecting six assists in ten contests.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren left tonight’s game early with an upper-body injury, the team announced (Twitter link). He appeared to be shaken up on the first shot he faced and was only able to stay in for a few minutes before eventually coming out of the game.  The 30-year-old has done quite well this season, posting a 2.29 GAA with a .928 SV% in his first 14 games heading into this contest.
  • Meanwhile, in a separate tweet, the Capitals also noted that defenseman Martin Fehervary left tonight’s contest with an upper-body injury of his own which also occurred in the first period. The 24-year-old hasn’t lit up the scoresheet with just five points heading into this game but he had been logging a little over 19 minutes a night on Washington’s second pairing.
  • The Sabres announced that they’ve assigned center Tyson Jost to AHL Rochester. The move comes as little surprise after he cleared waivers earlier today on the heels of notching just four points in his first 29 games while carrying a $2MM contract.  With Ryan Johnson’s quick recall following the move, Buffalo will need to make another roster move to activate Zemgus Girgensons off IR; he could be cleared to return on Saturday.
  • On top of the Senators potentially getting Thomas Chabot back on their upcoming road trip which begins January 2nd, TSN’s Claire Hanna relays (Twitter link) that forwards Mathieu Joseph and Rourke Chartier should also be back during that stretch. Chabot is closer to returning than Joseph while Chartier’s timeline is a little less certain as he’s dealing with a concussion.

Washington Capitals Reassign Hunter Shepard

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Dec. 4: Shepard was returned to AHL Hershey on Monday, per the NHL’s media transactions log. Lindgren is likely ready to return from the illness that sidelined him and will dress tonight against the Coyotes.

Dec. 2: The Washington Capitals announced that they have recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard from their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, and he will be in the lineup tonight as the team takes on the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Their usual backup goaltender, Charlie Lindgren, was out yesterday and took a maintenance day this afternoon, and will not be available for tonight’s matchup.

Although he will likely not play tonight with Darcy Kuemper still in the net, this will be Shepard’s fourth call-up of the season, although the first three were all on an emergency loan. Earlier this season in late October, also in Lindgren’s absence, Shepard was able to make his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils, securing the win after making a total of 18 saves on 22 shots. A few weeks later, Shepard was once again in the net for the Capitals, stopping 36 shots out of 37 in a win against the New York Islanders.

Last season, once again spent primarily with the Bears, Shepard held a 20-8-5 record through the regular season, holding a .916 SV% and a 2.18 GAA. In the playoffs, Shepard was fundamental in Hershey winning the 2023 Calder Cup, producing a 14-6-0 record with a .914 SV%, and winning the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, awarded to the Calder Cup playoffs most valuable player.

The trophies won last year are not the only ones in Shepard’s case, as he backed the University of Minnesota-Duluth to back-to-back National Championships in 2018 and 2019, all while winning back-to-back NCHC Goaltender of the Year awards in 2019 and 2020.

Injury Notes: Maple Leafs, Hischier, Lindgren, Flames

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing opposing injury news, with defender Timothy Liljegren returning to the team’s practice but Jake McCabe still sitting out. Liljegren took practice reps alongside Mark Giordano, although no update about his availability was provided. Liljegren was announced as “doubtful” for the team’s October 28th game before missing the match; a tag that may carry over to their Tuesday night game.

Liljegren is playing more than ever through eight games this season, averaging over 19 minutes of ice time a game – a step up from the 18 minutes he averaged last season. It’s a continuation of the gradual increase in ice time that Liljegren has seen in each of the last three seasons, speaking to his growing prowess. But despite the increased role, Liljegren has only managed one point through his eight games this year. Scoring has never been his forte, with Liljegren only netting 18 points through 67 games last year.

Liljegren will look to add to those scoring totals with an eventual return to action, while Toronto continues to wait for news of McCabe’s outlook.

Other injury news:

Capitals Activate Charlie Lindgren, Assign Hunter Shepard To AHL

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The Capitals will be welcoming back goalie Charlie Lindgren for their game tomorrow against San Jose as the team announced that they have activated him off injured reserve.  To make room on the roster, netminder Hunter Shepard was assigned back to AHL Hershey.

Lindgren is in his second season as the backup goaltender in Washington behind Darcy Kuemper.  The 29-year-old was a full-time NHL backup for the first time in 2022-23, playing in 31 games, more than the rest of his career combined.  Lindgren fared relatively well in that role, posting a 3.05 GAA with a .899 SV%.  This season, he has just one start under his belt where he allowed four goals on 35 shots.  He’s expected to serve as the backup against the Sharks on Sunday.

As for Shepard, he made his NHL debut earlier this week against New Jersey, stopping 18 of 22 shots for his first career victory at the top level.  The 27-year-old is in his fourth year in Washington’s system, spending the majority of that time at the AHL level.  Shepard had a strong showing last year, putting together a 2.18 GAA with a .916 SV% in 33 games before putting up similar numbers in 20 playoff contests (2.27 GAA, .914 SV%), earning himself playoff MVP honors along the way.

Washington Places Lindgren On IR, Recalls Häman Aktell

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The Washington Capitals have placed goaltender Charlie Lindgren on injured reserve, recalling defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell in his place. This move likely cements Clay Stevenson as the team’s backup while Lindgren is out. Stevenson was recalled to the NHL on October 16th, in response to Lindgren being announced as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Washington hasn’t turned to Stevenson yet, although he’ll be making his NHL debut when he’s able to slot into the lineup.

Despite being moved to injured reserve, there has been no formal update on what is holding Lindgren out. The 29-year-old goaltender left the Capitals’ Monday practice just a few minutes into the skate, after facing the Penguins a few days before. The ambiguity around his ailment makes it hard to project just how long Lindgren will be out, although his injured reserve designation means he’ll miss at least a week of play. Lindgren is in his second season with the Capitals, appearing in starting 26 games and appearing in 31 over the course of last season. He recorded a 26-13-11 record in those appearances, tallying a .899 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against-average as well.

Hardy Häman Aktell could be in line for his NHL debut with this recall. The 25-year-old defenseman has appeared in two games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears this season, scoring one goal. This season represents his first in North America, after spending each of the last three seasons with the Växjö Lakers of the SHL. He capped off this stretch with 36 points in 51 SHL games last year.

Nic Dowd Out With An Injury

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The Washington Capitals announced that center Nic Dowd wouldn’t dress for tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators due to an upper-body injury. There is no information as to when Dowd suffered the injury, or how long the 33-year-old will be out of action. Dowd played over 15 minutes in Washington’s 3-2 shootout win over the Calgary Flames just two nights ago, although he did block seven shots in the Capitals first two games of the season.

Dowd missed practice yesterday in what the Capitals referred to as a maintenance day, he did suit up this morning for the team’s optional skate but didn’t dress for the game tonight.

Dowd has been a mainstay in Washington’s bottom six since signing with the team as a free agent in July 2018, however, he has dealt with multiple absences due to injury in nearly every season. Dowd did play in 65 games last season, his highest total since becoming a Capital. In those games, Dowd posted a career-high 13 goals and 25 points, while registering 61 blocked shots, also the most in his career.

While little is known about Dowd’s injury thus far, the Huntsville, Alabama native did have offseason core surgery and spoke during training camp about injuries becoming part of his reality as an aging NHLer. It’s also a reality the Capitals have had to deal with over the last two seasons as the second-oldest team in the NHL. Last year Washington had the fourth most man games lost due to injury and this season they could fare even worse if their current injury pattern continues. The Capitals are already without defenseman Joel Edmundson, goalie Charlie Lindgren and forward Max Pacioretty.

Snapshots: Lindgren, Schmid, Mermis

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Charlie Lindgren has been announced as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, after prematurely leaving the team’s Monday practice. Lindgren played the entirety of Washington’s recent game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, saving 31 of the 35 shots that he faced. Lindgren is in the second year of a three-year, $3.3MM contract with the Capitals. He played in 31 games last season, starting in 26, recording a 13-11-3 record and a .899 save percentage.

Washington has recalled Clay Stevenson in response to Lindgren’s injury. Stevenson has appeared in two games for the AHL’s Hershey Bears so far this season, recording a split record and .900 save percentage. Washington signed Stevenson out of Dartmouth College at the end of the 2021-22 season. He appeared in 36 ECHL games last season, recording a .916 save percentage.

Other notes from around the league:

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