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Tom Wilson Joins Capitals Practice

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Morning skate for the Washington Capitals was rather encouraging today, as several injured players were on the ice. Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports that Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, and Dmitry Orlov were all skating with their teammates, though none are ready to return just yet.

For Wilson, it’s the first time he’s joined the group since undergoing ACL surgery last spring. Coming off a career-best 24-goal, 52-point season, the physical winger is one of the most important players on the club, and has been sorely missed through the early part of the year. The Capitals are 12-12-4 on the year and have struggled to find much consistency from the lower half of their forward group, with Wilson, Backstrom, and Connor Brown all out.

Backstrom has joined the team a few times as he deals with his own rehab and is optimistic he will return at some point this season after hip surgery. There is no clear timeline for either player, but getting them around practice again will be sure to lift the team’s spirits, given how important a role they play on the ice and in the dressing room.

Orlov, meanwhile, has been out for more than a month with a lower-body injury. He too is coming off a career year, with 12 goals and 35 points, and had been averaging a ton of ice time through the early part of the season. If the Capitals are able to keep their head above water until they get these reinforcements back, they will still have a shot at the playoffs. As it stands right now, they are sixth in the Metropolitan Division, ahead of only the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Capitals Notes: Trade Possibilities, Injury Updates, Miroshnichenko

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The Washington Capitals have not had the start to their season that they likely had in mind. Despite entering the season with the intention of being a serious contender, a 10-12-4 record to start the year has left the Capitals with more questions than answers. Washington GM Brian MacLellan spoke to the media yesterday to issue updates on the state of his team, and as part of that availability, he spoke on the possibility completing a significant trade in order to jump-start a climb in the standings.

As relayed by The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, MacLellan said that the presence of Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom on long-term injured reserve makes the possibility of a major deal highly unlikely. (subscription link) To use his exact words, MacLellan said:

To help our team you would have to add a high-end guy, top-six guy but they are $5 million, $6 million. You can’t add that player while you are bringing two guys back from LTI.

Some other notes regarding the Capitals:

  • As part of his comments to the media, MacLellan also issued updates on several injured Capitals players. MacLellan said that Backstrom was “progressing well,” but that there is no firm timeline on a return. He also said that the team will have a “better idea” on Wilson’s return by mid-December, and said that while Dmitry Orlov’s injury has “lingered on a lot longer than anyone anticipated,” he is nonetheless “headed in a positive direction.” For the Capitals to have any hope of Stanley Cup contention, getting Wilson, Orlov, and perhaps even Backstrom back onto the ice will be extremely important.
  • When the Capitals drafted dynamic Russian forward Ivan Miroshnichenko in the first round of the 2022 draft, some saw it as a risky move due to the uncertainty related to the forward’s recovery from Hodgkin Lymphoma. But thankfully all signs have been that Miroshinchenko’s recovery process has gone well, and today he took an important next step on his path to the NHL. Miroshnichenko made his KHL debut today, and while MacLellan did say that the forward is likely still “a few years” away from the NHL, this remains an undoubtedly positive development for all interested in seeing Miroshnichenko thrive.

Metropolitan Notes: Capitals, Reaves, Konecny, Popugayev

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There could be some much-needed help coming on the injury front for the Capitals as NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti relays (Twitter link) several updates.  First, winger T.J. Oshie skated before practice today and could rejoin the team tomorrow.  The 35-year-old has missed the last ten games due to a lower-body issue and had five points in nine games prior to the injury.

Meanwhile, center Nicklas Backstrom also took part in the skate before practice.  He is attempting to work his way back from hip resurfacing surgery back in June.  He’s not expected to skate tomorrow and there remains no timetable for his return but the fact he’s skating now is a promising sign that he might be able to come back at some point this season.

Lastly, winger Tom Wilson has also started skating on his own lately as he works his way back from ACL surgery back in May.  There is no timetable for his return as well but the recovery period for that injury typically ranges from six to eight months and he’s already past the short end of that timeline.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • For years, Rangers winger Ryan Reaves has been a consistent presence on the fourth line for several teams. However, that hasn’t been the case this season as he has only played in three games so far this month, spending the rest of the time as a healthy scratch.  Accordingly, Larry Brooks of the New York Post opines that New York could opt to waive the 35-year-old in order to free up some extra cap space both now and at the trade deadline.  They wouldn’t be able to clear his entire $1.75MM cap hit off the books if he was to be sent to AHL Hartford (they’d only get a prorated $1.125MM in space) but if he’s going to continue to have a limited role, it’s a move they’ll have to seriously consider.
  • Flyers winger Travis Konecny won’t play tonight in Montreal as he has returned to Philadelphia to be evaluated for his upper-body injury, notes Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The injury is believed to be to his hand and was sustained on Thursday against Boston.  Konecny had been off to a very strong start to his season as he leads the team in scoring with 19 points in 17 games.  Now, he joins a long injury list up front that includes Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson, and James van Riemsdyk, among others.
  • Devils prospect Nikita Popugayev has been traded in the KHL as SKA St. Petersburg announced that they have acquired the winger from Sochi in exchange for cash considerations. The 23-year-old has already set new career highs offensively with nine goals and five assists through 28 games which could get him back on the NHL radar this summer.  Popugayev’s contract in Russia runs through this season with New Jersey retaining his rights indefinitely due to there being no transfer agreement in place with the Russian Federation.

Snapshots: Robertson, Wilson, Johnston

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The Dallas Stars have worked out an extension for general manager Jim Nill but still have work to do when it comes to their on-ice talent. Jason Robertson is without a contract less than two weeks before training camp opens, but Nill doesn’t seem worried.

The executive told Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that there is “very open dialogue” between the two sides, and suggested that the deadline of training camp could speed up negotiations. Robertson is coming off a 41-goal sophomore season.

  • Tom Wilson is “believed to be ahead of schedule” in his return from a torn ACL, according to Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic. The Washington Capitals forward was given a six to eight-month recovery timeline when he went under the knife in late May, and it is still unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup. It’s somewhat positive news on Nicklas Backstrom too, who is expected to at least be on the ice with the team at their photo shoot later this week. Backstrom is coming back from hip surgery in June.
  • The Calgary Flames have hired Team Canada standout Rebecca Johnston in a full-time role, where she will work with the player development team. Johnston, 32, had ten points in seven games at the Olympics earlier this year, taking home her third gold medal (fourth total) at the Games.

Tom Wilson Undergoes Knee Surgery

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The Washington Capitals won’t have Tom Wilson for the start of the 2022-23 season. The team announced today that Wilson underwent a successful surgical procedure to reconstruct the torn ACL of his left knee. The current recovery timeline is set at six to eight months.

That would essentially rule Wilson out for all of training camp and the first month of the season at least, with the very real possibility of him missing a much bigger chunk of games. The seriousness of the surgery will also immediately draw speculation about Wilson’s effectiveness going forward, something that won’t be known for quite some time.

A player that is known for his power, speed, and physicality, Wilson has developed into quite an offensive threat for the Capitals. Selected 16th overall after scoring just nine goals in his draft season for the Plymouth Whalers, the 28-year-old forward now has three seasons with at least 21 goals and set a new career high of 52 points in 78 games this year.

He even scored on one of his three shifts against the Florida Panthers before exiting game one with an injury. Amazingly, Wilson actually skated with the team several times as the series continued–on what is now confirmed to be a torn ACL–but did not re-enter the lineup.

This news will come as a brutal blow to the Capitals as they try to reload for another Stanley Cup run in 2022-23. The team is already dealing with some uncertainty for Nicklas Backstrom as he deals with a serious hip injury and has an aging core led by Alex Ovechkin (36) and T.J. Oshie (35). While the Washington roster is still a good one, red flags are starting to wave.

For Wilson in particular, any loss of that full throttle speed and power could be devastating to his game. Always among the league leaders in hits, he has missed quite a few games throughout his career (even outside of the suspensions) and will now face a lengthy rehab.

Capitals Notes: Goaltending, Wilson, Laviolette

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Today was exit day for the Washington Capitals, and as part of that, Capitals GM Brian MacLellan spoke with the media. The biggest revelation coming from his media appearance regards the team’s goaltending situation, as he shed some light on how the team views their current tandem of goaltenders and what strategy they will take towards the position in the offseason. MacLellan said, as relayed by Samantha Pell of The Washington Post, that the team’s “top priority” regarding their goaltending is to acquire a veteran netminder. MacLellan also added that it’s “possible” that both of the team’s current goalies, Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek, (who are each eligible to become restricted free agents with arbitration rights) return next season, but that the priority is to add a veteran to the team.

Both Samsonov and Vanecek, who are 25 and 26 years old, respectively, had seasons to forget. For Vanecek, his regular season was solid (42 games played at a .908 save percentage) but he unraveled in the playoffs, not even making it to the end of game two before being pulled for Samsonov. Samsonov, on the flip side, had a poor regular season, posting only an .896 save percentage in 44 games. Although he did better in the playoffs (.912 in five games) he still failed to make the saves required for the Capitals to defeat the Florida Panthers. By virtue of both goalies needing a new contract, this offseason the Capitals are afforded the financial flexibility to choose a new direction in net. The Capitals intend on remaining competitive during the remaining years of Alex Ovechkin’s career, and MacLellan’s statements make it clear that the organization deems a veteran goaltender necessary to give their captain a chance at winning a second Stanley Cup. If their prior courtship of Marc-Andre Fleury is any indication, it seems MacLellan and the Capitals will be going fishing for a major addition to their crease this offseason.

Now, for some other notes regarding the Capitals:

  • Tom Wilson, one of the Capitals’ most important forwards, did not play very much in their short playoff run. He scored a goal but suffered a knee injury that MacLellan today said would have cost him the entirety of the Capitals’ playoff run, should they have made it into the next few rounds. Per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com, the team will make a decision in the next few days on whether Wilson needs surgery. Even with a potential surgery in mind, MacLellan did express optimism that Wilson would be ready to play by the start of next season. The Capitals rely on Wilson’s goal-scoring and physicality to win games, so if they want to hit the ground running for next season’s campaign getting Wilson back to full health will be a major priority for the team.
  • This season marks coach Peter Laviolette’s second behind the bench in Washington, and his combined 80-41-17 record over those two seasons is reflective of how well he has done in getting the most out of the Capitals’ players.  But despite that regular-season success, the Capitals have bowed out in the first round in both years of his tenure, and as a result, with Laviolette set to enter the final season of his contract, MacLellan was asked about Laviolette’s future in Washington. Per Gulitti, MacLellan made the point that he wanted to keep conversations regarding Laviolette’s contract situation private, but was complimentary about his coach’s work during this regular season and playoffs. While some more frustrated Capitals fans may want to see a change behind the bench after two straight early playoff exits, it seems that the organization has full faith in Laviolette being the right coach to bring the Capitals their second Stanley Cup.

Metropolitan Notes: Jarry, Motte, Wilson

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Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry took a big step forward in his progress in recovering from a broken bone in his foot as he skated for the first time on Saturday, reports Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  The netminder has been out for the last three weeks due to the injury which resulted in Casey DeSmith getting the nod to start the playoffs.  However, he underwent core muscle surgery yesterday which brought his postseason to a premature end, meaning that veteran journeyman Louis Domingue is now Pittsburgh’s starter for the time being.  With Jarry just skating today, he’ll still likely miss a few more games but if they’re able to push their series against New York close to the max, Jarry may be able to return at that point.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Rangers winger Tyler Motte may be able to return from his upper-body injury at some point in their first-round series against Pittsburgh, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post (Twitter link). The 27-year-old was acquired from Vancouver at the trade deadline but was injured in just his ninth game with the team.  With Barclay Goodrow being ruled out for the series yesterday, New York could certainly benefit from Motte’s grit and defensive play to help fill some of the holes created by Goodrow’s absence.
  • The Capitals will be without winger Tom Wilson once again for their game this afternoon against Florida, notes Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press (Twitter link). Wilson suffered a lower-body injury in the opening period of the series back on Tuesday, a big loss for Washington with the 28-year-old coming off a career year offensively that saw him pot 24 goals and 28 assists in 78 games, good for fourth on the team in scoring.  There will be at least one lineup change for the Capitals, however, as Ilya Samsonov will start in goal for that one.

Snapshots: Mukhamadullin, Wilson, Santini

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The New Jersey Devils are expecting Shakir Mukhamadullin to be arriving in North America soon, after the top prospect recently received his visa. General manager Tom Fitzgerald told the media today, including team reporter Amanda Stein, that the defenseman will likely join the Utica Comets, where he would be eligible to play in the postseason.

Selected 20th overall in 2020, the 6’3″ Mukhamadullin has now played three full season in the KHL, after the Devils loaned him back to Ufa Salavat Yulayev this year. Signed to his entry-level contract in December, it will slide forward and keep him wrapped up through 2024-25 even if he does get into some game action with Utica this spring. The Comets are still waiting to find out who (and when) they will play, after securing a bye following their win of the North Division crown.

  • Tom Wilson is officially out for tonight’s game, but Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette didn’t want to speculate on the big forward’s availability for game three when he spoke with reporters including Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. Wilson, who opened the scoring for Washington in game one before leaving early, is one of the hardest players in the league to replace, given his almost unique mix of size, aggression, skating ability, and skill. Brett Leason, who at least brings some of those things, will enter the lineup on the fourth line after being recalled this morning. Wilson is officially listed as day-to-day.
  • The St. Louis Blues have recalled Steven Santini under emergency conditions, once again throwing the team’s defensive depth into question after Robert Bortuzzo’s early exit. The team was already forced to dress Calle Rosen last night, a veteran of just 38 NHL games, and played Justin Faulk nearly 27 minutes in the 6-2 loss. With Marco Scandella, Nick Leddy, and now Bortuzzo all potentially out, the Blues face a tough task in containing Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild.

Washington Capitals Recall Brett Leason

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With the status of Tom Wilson still in question, the Washington Capitals have recalled a bit of size. Brett Leason is on his way up from the Hershey Bears, a meaningful recall, given the AHL team plays their own playoff game tomorrow night.

Leason, 23, played in 36 games this season for the Capitals, scoring three goals and adding six points. Perhaps more importantly, the winger stands 6’5″ and at least comes close to maintaining the level of physicality that Wilson brings every night. Selected in the second round just three years ago, Leason actually has three full seasons of professional experience already, and although still a rookie, is more seasoned than most.

Of course, Washington would certainly rather have Wilson in the lineup if possible. The team announced that he would be a game-time decision yesterday and are already carrying two extra forwards, but apparently needed an extra body as they head into game two with the Florida Panthers. After taking game one in stunning comeback fashion, Washington will have to continue to try and hold off the elite offense of the Panthers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Tom Wilson Will Be Game-Time Decision For Game 2

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Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette announced today that forward Tom Wilson is a game-time decision for tomorrow’s Game 2 against the Florida Panthers.

Wilson tried skating twice after originally leaving the game 7:47 into the first period after trying to hit Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar but ultimately did not return. T.J. Oshie slid up the depth chart, taking Wilson’s place on the second line alongside Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom.

Washington jumped out to a surprise 1-0 lead in the series with an impressive 4-2 on the road against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers in Game 1 on Tuesday. Wilson played just 1:31 but still managed to draw a penalty and score the first goal of the game. Wilson’s playoff-suited game looked extremely strong before the injury, so the Capitals obviously hope he’s able to play tomorrow to boost their shot of taking a 2-0 series lead on the road.

Wilson had a career year this season, setting career-highs in goals (24), assists (28), points (52), +/- (13), and average time on ice (18:35).

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