Lars Eller Out With Non-COVID Illness
- The Washington Capitals once again are without one of their centers, as Lars Eller is missing tonight’s game with a non-COVID illness. Eller has been an important player for the Capitals this season given the absences of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom for various stretches, and has 15 points in 26 games. Meanwhile, Lucas Johansen, the team’s first-round pick from 2016, is making his NHL debut.
Michael Sgarbossa Clears Waivers
Dec 29: According to CapFriendly, Sgarbossa has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.
Dec 28: The Washington Capitals have placed Michael Sgarbossa on waivers today, allowing them to move him to the taxi squad or minor leagues should he clear. He did just that in October, but after spending the last month on the roster he needed to again before being sent down.
Sgarbossa, 29, has played in seven games for the Capitals this season, joining them when injuries and illnesses started hitting hard at the end of November. He’s scored two goals and three points in those games, but with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom returning from the COVID protocol, wasn’t really needed on the active roster anymore.
The risk of a claim, however, seems to be much higher now given the situation many teams in the league find themselves in. With players entering the COVID protocol every day, Sgarbossa would certainly offer more than many of the inexperienced call-ups that have been used. The longtime professional has 62 games at the NHL level over his career and nearly 500 in the AHL.
Washington Capitals Announce COVID Absences
The Washington Capitals have made a number of transactions in response to several players entering the COVID protocol. The team has announced that Daniel Sprong, Justin Schultz, Nick Jensen, Vitek Vanecek, Dennis Cholowski, and Martin Fehervary are all unavailable due to COVID protocol. Pheonix Copley and Michal Kempny have been recalled to the active roster, while Lucas Johansen, Alex Alexeyev, and Brett Leason have all been assigned to the taxi squad.
The Capitals are scheduled to play on Wednesday night against the Nashville Predators, but now are now without a good chunk of their roster. Evgeni Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom were on the ice for practice, according to J.J. Regan of NBCS Washington, a good sign that they will be eligible to return for the upcoming game.
With the COVID absences continuing across the league, however, the schedule is certainly not written in ink. The Capitals, like any other team, will have to wait and see whether their upcoming games are affected.
2022 WJC Participants By NHL Team
The 2022 World Junior Championships will get underway from Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta on Sunday. As is the norm and to be expected from the top U-20 competition in the world, the World Junior tournament field is loaded with drafted NHL talent. While most nations don’t have the prospect depth to form a roster completely composed of NHL prospects and those that do have opted to include some younger, future draft picks, there are still a whopping 106 drafted players on WJC rosters. Nine of ten WJC have at least one current NHL prospect and six of those nine have at least ten draft picks. Those players come from 30 of the NHL’s 32 teams, with the Carolina Hurricanes leading the way with ten prospects. While enjoying the WJC action in the coming days, keep track of who may one day be playing at the highest level:
Anaheim Ducks (4):
F Mason McTavish, Canada
D Ian Moore, USA
F Sasha Pastujov, USA
D Olen Zellweger, Canada
Arizona Coyotes (1):
F Dylan Guenther, Canada
Boston Bruins (1):
F Fabian Lysell, Sweden
Buffalo Sabres (4):
F Jakub Konecny, Czechia
D Nikita Novikov, Russia
D Owen Power, Canada
F Isak Rosen, Sweden
Calgary Flames (1):
F Matt Coronato, USA
Carolina Hurricanes (10):
F Nikita Guslistov, Russia
D Aleski Heimosalmi, Finland
D Ville Koivunen, Finland
D Scott Morrow, USA
F Zion Nybeck, Sweden
D Joel Nystrom, Sweden
F Alexander Pashin, Russia
F Vasily Ponomarev, Russia
G Nikita Quapp, Germany
D Ronan Seeley, Canada
Chicago Blackhawks (4):
G Drew Commesso, USA
D Wyatt Kaiser, USA
D Michael Krutil, Czechia
F Landon Slaggert, USA
Colorado Avalanche (1):
F Oskar Olausson, Sweden
Columbus Blue Jackets (4):
F Kent Johnson, Canada
D Samuel Knazko, Slovakia
F Martin Rysavy, Czechia
D Stanislav Svozil, Czechia
Dallas Stars (4):
F Mavrik Bourque, Canada
F Daniel Ljungman, Sweden
F Logan Stankoven, Canada
F Albert Sjoberg, Sweden
Detroit Red Wings (8):
G Jan Bednar, Czechia
G Sebastian Cossa, Canada
D Simon Edvinsson, Sweden
F Carter Mazur, USA
F Theodor Niederbach, Sweden
F Redmond Savage, USA
D Donovan Sebrango, Canada
D Eemil Viro, Finland
Edmonton Oilers (2):
F Xavier Borgault, Canada
D Luca Munzenberger, Germany
Florida Panthers (5):
F Elliot Ekmark, Sweden
D Kasper Puutio, Finland
F Mackie Samoskevich, USA
F Ty Smilanic, USA
F Justin Sourdif, Canada
Los Angeles Kings (6):
F Martin Chromiak, Slovakia
D Brock Faber, USA
D Helge Grans, Sweden
F Samuel Helenius, Finland
D Kirill Kirsanov, Russia
F Kasper Simontaival, Finland
Minnesota Wild (6):
F Marat Khusnutdinov, Russia
D Carson Lambos, Canada
F Pavel Novak, Czechia
D Ryan O’Rourke, Canada
D Jack Peart, USA
G Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden
Montreal Canadiens (3):
D Kaiden Guhle, Canada
F Oliver Kapanen, Finland
F Jan Mysak, Czechia
Nashville Predators (4):
G Yaroslav Askarov, Russia
F Simon Knak, Switzerland*
D Anton Olsson, Sweden
F Fedor Svechkov, Russia
New Jersey Devils (4):
F Alexander Holtz, Sweden
D Luke Hughes, USA
G Jakub Malek, Czechia
D Shakir Mukhamadullin, Russia
New York Islanders (0)
New York Rangers (4):
F Brett Berard, USA
F William Cuylle, Canada
G Dylan Garand, Canada
F Kalle Vaisanen, Finland
Ottawa Senators (5):
F Ridly Greig, Canada
F Roby Jarventie, Finland
D Tyler Kleven, USA
G Leevi Merilainen, Finland
D Jake Sanderson, USA
Philadelphia Flyers (3):
D Emil Andrae, Sweden
F Elliot Desnoyers, Canada
D Brian Zanetti, Switzerland*
Pittsburgh Penguins (3):
G Joel Blomqvist, Finland
G Calle Clang, Sweden
F Kirill Tankov, Russia
St. Louis Blues (3):
F Tanner Dickinson, USA
D Leo Loof, Sweden
F Jake Neighbors, Canada
San Jose Sharks (1):
F William Eklund, Sweden
Seattle Kraken (2):
F Matthew Beniers, USA
D Ville Ottavainen, Finland
Tampa Bay Lightning (0)
Toronto Maple Leafs (3):
F Roni Hirvonen, Finland
F Matthew Knies, USA
D Topi Niemala, Finland
Vancouver Canucks (1):
F Dmitry Zlodeyev, Russia
Vegas Golden Knights (4):
F Jakub Brabenec, Czechia
D Lukas Cormier, Canada
F Jakub Demek, Slovakia
G Jesper Vikman, Sweden
Washington Capitals (1):
F Oskar Magnusson, Sweden
Winnipeg Jets (4):
F Nikita Chibrikov, Russia
F Chaz Lucius, USA
F Cole Perfetti, Canada
F Daniel Torgersson, Sweden
*Switzerland roster pending finalization on Sunday; team has been in COVID-19 quarantine since Thursday but will be ready to begin tournament and participate as schedule, the Swiss announced.
Capitals-Flyers Game Postponed
One of the two games left this week has been postponed, as the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers will no longer play tonight. The decision was made after more COVID-related issues for the Capitals, who canceled today’s media availability. Daniel Sprong and Justin Schultz were pulled from the group this morning and are undergoing further testing. Tonight’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights is now the last one before the holiday break, though Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that game also may be in danger of postponement.
The Capitals were already going to play the game without top options like T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, while the Flyers lost Kevin Hayes to the protocol just yesterday. The fact that the game was still scheduled despite the extended holiday break was perhaps the most surprising thing, but both teams will now head into the break a little earlier than expected.
For Washington, the team is now set to resume on December 27 against the Ottawa Senators. Philadelphia meanwhile will be off until December 29, when they’ll travel to Seattle to take on the Kraken. That gives the Flyers even more time to recover from injury and try to reset their season.
The NHL has now postponed 50 games, 45 of those coming since December 13.
Michael Sgarbossa Placed In COVID Protocol
- Capitals center Michael Sgarbossa was a late scratch from their game tonight against Los Angeles and it turns out that it was COVID-related as the team announced (Twitter link) that he has been placed in COVID protocol. The 29-year-old was coming off a two-point performance on Friday and has three points in seven games with Washington this season. The Caps did get some good news on that front as well, however, as winger Garnet Hathaway was taken out of protocol.
Injury Notes: Wilson, Stone, Boyle
According to The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell, the Washington Capitals placed right wing Tom Wilson on injured reserve, although the move is retroactive to December 10. He hasn’t played the last week as he deals with an upper-body injury. Due to the retroactive nature of the move, he can be activated at any time. The team needed to free up roster space for Garnet Hathaway, though, who came off COVID protocol today, and moving Wilson to injured reserve accomplished that. Wilson’s day-to-day status hasn’t changed. He has nine goals and 15 assists in 27 games this season, on pace for a career-high in points.
More injury notes from around the league:
- Many Vegas Golden Knights fans were concerned when captain Mark Stone missed today’s game with an upper-body injury due to his lengthy absence earlier in the season. However, head coach Peter DeBoer said after the game today that he doesn’t expect Stone to be out long-term. That’s great news for a Vegas team that’s finally getting on a roll after a nightmarish season in terms of health. The team now sits atop the Pacific Division, the place many expected them to be before an injury bug bit the team hard. The captain’s been red-hot recently, scoring four goals and 17 assists in 18 games.
- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brian Boyle is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and won’t play tonight against the New Jersey Devils, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed. Pittsburgh somewhat unexpectedly added Boyle, who didn’t play at all in 2020-21, to the roster prior to training camp with injuries to both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin limiting them down the middle. Boyle’s gotten into 19 of Pittsburgh’s 29 games, scoring three goals and providing a good defensive game.
COVID Notes: Islanders, Oshie, Danault
The New York Islanders have added two more names to the NHL COVID Protocol ahead of their matinee on Sunday afternoon. Veteran forward Matt Martin and rookie defenseman Robin Salo have been placed in the league’s protocol, the Isles announced. They join Mathew Barzal in the protocol, with Kyle Palmieri and Ryan Pulock still sidelined due to injury. For a team still unable to hit their stride this season, the losses of a checking forward and depth defenseman still hurt as the team cannot afford to be so short-handed if they want to start winning games.
- The COVID Protocol list is getting longer and more talented every day for the Washington Capitals. T.J. Oshie is the latest addition, the team announced today. The star forward joins fellow top-six scorers Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov, as well as Nic Dowd, Garnet Hathaway, and Trevor van Riemsdyk in the protocol. Yet, the Capitals are moving forward with their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday night.
- The Kings will also be down a man on Sunday due to Coronavirus, as center Phillip Danault has been added to the COVID Protocol, the team announced. They too have a star-studded COVID list, with Drew Doughty and Calvin Petersen also sidelined due to the virus.
Capitals Assign Zach Fucale To Hershey
- The Capitals announced that they’ve sent goaltender Zach Fucale back to Hershey of the AHL. He had been recalled on Friday but was not in uniform for their game against Winnipeg. Fucale made his NHL debut last month, posting a 21-save shutout versus Detroit and has a 2.80 GAA with a .889 SV% in eight games with the Bears this season.
Nicklas Backstrom Added To COVID Protocol
The return for Nicklas Backstrom lasted exactly one day. The Washington Capitals center is unavailable for tonight’s game after being placed in the COVID protocol, just a few days after making his season debut. Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic tweets that Backstrom did not travel to Winnipeg; the Capitals made arrangements for him to return from Chicago to Washington.
That’s three centers the team will be missing tonight, as Backstrom joins Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nic Dowd, Garnet Hathaway, and Trevor van Riemsdyk in the protocol. Dowd and van Riemsdyk were actually cleared and made their return to the lineup in Chicago, but have not cleared the 14-day period that is required to enter Canada. So back on the non-roster list they went, where they’re joined by several key forwards for the Capitals.
The team is expected to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen this evening, with team reporter Mike Vogel suggesting that either Connor McMichael or Aliaksei Protas will have to move to center.
Backstrom played just over 18 minutes in his debut on Wednesday, recording a powerplay assist on Alex Ovechkin‘s 21st goal of the season. The Capitals would eventually lose in overtime though, with Caleb Jones scoring the winner for Chicago. The 34-year-old forward will have to wait for a minimum of ten days if he has tested positive and is experiencing any symptoms, certainly not what he was hoping for after such a long recovery period.