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The Washington Capitals’ continued inconsistency and the growing number of injuries suggested by general manager Brian MacLellan is a sign of urgency less than two months into the season.
The Capitals (10-12-4) open their game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Monday (8:30 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSWA, ESPN+, SN NOW) following the Florida Panthers on four numbers for the second wild card inside. the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Washington is 1-2-1 on a six-game road trip that ends at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.
“I think we’ll have a good run here, starting now,” MacLellan said before Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames. “We have to come out of this tournament with a tough competition. Both teams are in front of us. … We have to stay in the mix here and then grow from there.”
MacLellan’s words came before the driver Darcy Kuemper and the protector Martin Fehervary each left the second period against the Flames with an upper-body injury. Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said Sunday that Fehervary will not play Monday while Kuemper is being evaluated.
Fehervary and Kuemper join a long injury list for the Capitals that includes forward Nicklas Backstrom (repetition on the left thigh), Tom Wilson (ACL tear in left knee), Connor Brown (ACL tear in left knee), Carl Hagelin (left thigh cut, face) a Beck Malenstyn (hand cut), and protector Dmitry Orlov (lower body).
The Capitals have had an expansion in the past TJ Oshie returned Nov. 23 after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury, but MacLellan acknowledged Washington faces an uphill battle with an injury-riddled list. together with three victories.
“We should be concerned,” MacLellan said. “We dug ourselves into a hole. There’s a little margin for error right now. … At the beginning of the year, we dug ourselves into a hole and we’re trying to work our way out of it. We’ve got to add some string of good games. — wins — stay in and buy some time until we get some guys back, and hopefully it will be more competitive there.”
Orlov, who hasn’t played since Nov. 5, joined Washington on the road trip and practiced Sunday, while Backstrom, Wilson, and Malenstyn will run alone in practice. Capitals. Both Brown and Hagelin are long gone and may not return this season.
Backstrom wore a pair of loose-fitting jerseys and showed great success. MacLellan said the 35-year-old’s next steps will be training and clearing for contact, but it’s unclear when, or if, he will be able to play this season.
“I’d say he’s done well, and his rehab is going well, I don’t know if it’s been tested,” MacLellan said. “We’d like to see him in practice and contact. … It’s going to happen in a little while I think.”
A timetable for Wilson’s return is unclear.
“I don’t have an exact date,” MacLellan said. “We will have a better picture in the coming weeks. In mid-December, we will have a better idea. We can be sure then.”
Without key players like Backstrom and Wilson, the Capitals are 27th in the NHL in scoring (2.73 goals per game), with an 0-11-3 record in the when scoring two goals or more.
Straight ahead Alex Ovechkin He had a solid season with a team-leading 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games, first. Dylan Strome A good addition with 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 26 games, but forward. Evgeny Kuznetsov was inconsistent with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 25 games, first. Anthony Mantha He couldn’t find his rhythm with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 26 games.
“The margin for error with our team right now is minimal,” MacLellan said. “Maybe for a lot of teams in the league. You can’t go wrong. … For us to achieve this, our top players are going to be top players and they have to take it. we this way.”
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