Ovechkin update
By: Brian McNally
Examiner Staff Writer
11/02/09 6:22 PM EST
Updated story up on the Web site soon. But the Caps have announced star forward Alex Ovechkin as week-to-week with an "upper-body strain" Got to love those NHL injury reports. Given how Ovechkin fell to the ice - and the fact that you can't "strain" a wrist and an elbow "strain" seems unlikely for a hockey player who wasn't shooting when hurt - we can assume this is a shoulder injury. That's an educated guess, of course. NHL teams do not have to disclose the exact nature of a player's injury.
Ovechkin underwent an MRI on Monday. It seems unlikely he will be back for any of this week's games - on the road at New Jersey (Wednesday) and Florida (Friday) and a Saturday rematch with the Panthers at Verizon Center. Remains to be seen if we're talking two-to-three weeks - similar to the right shoulder strain suffered by Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin - or more like a month or even six weeks. Caps have at least built themselves a decent cushion in the Southeast Division. With an 8-2-4 record the lead is eight points entering play Monday night. But it will be their first extended time without Ovechkin in their lineup since before the NHL lockout. This will take some adjusting.
Now, for a game of "Guess Bruce's Lines." The Caps and coach Bruce Boudreau have enough "top six" players to get by without Ovechkin for a bit - as long as no one else gets hurt. Brooks Laich could play on the top line with Brendan Morrison and Mike Knuble. Ovechkin played with those two on Sunday. That would leave Tomas Fleischmann with Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Semin. Actually, that is probably your top line. Regardless, there are a bunch of NHL teams that would kill to have that kind of talent up top. Even without Ovechkin.
It would be nice to get forward Eric Fehr back from his rib injury. He has missed four games in a row, but would slot in nicely on the third line with Chris Clark and Keith Aucoin. That would leave David Steckel with wingers Quintin Laing and Matt Bradley. If Fehr can't go, someone else moves up and defenseman Tyler Sloan gets another game at forward. He's starting to get used to that. Will have to see if center Boyd Gordon (back) or defenseman John Erskine (bruised hand) are back at practice on Tuesday. Both remain on injured reserve.
Reminder - Michael Nylander's loan to AHL club Grand Rapids is up on Wednesday. Nylander had a goal on Friday night for the Griffins. He was held off the score sheet last Thursday. In five games he had a goal and five assists, was a +1 and recorded a shootout goal. Grand Rapids won all five games Nylander appeared in. We'll see if that was enough to convince another team that Nylander is worth pursuing.
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