With home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference just about settled entering Saturday night’s NHL games, the next task for Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau is deciding which key players — if any — need time off before the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs begin.
Forward Brooks Laich, of course, will need some time to heal his battered face after being hit by a puck off the crossbar in practice last week. Laich, hit under the left eye, skated with a full cage on his helmet before practice Saturday morning, but didn’t participate. He could be on the ice for Monday’s optional practice. Laich’s chances of playing in a game next week are still to be determined. And all of the sudden, he’s not the only one fighting an injury.
“That’s why you have this amount of people, why you have good depth,” Boudreau said. “And if we have to go to [AHL affiliate] Hershey we’ve got great players there and they’ve helped us all year. So we’re not worried as far as having good personnel.”
That updated injury list includes forward Brendan Morrison (lower-body injury) and defenseman Shaone Morrisonn, who had four wisdom teeth extracted Friday. Brendan Morrison is questionable for Sunday’s game against Calgary, according to Boudreau, and will be a game-time decision. Shaone Morrisonn, a healthy scratch on Thursday against Carolina just to rest, is out for sure. Meanwhile, forward Scott Walker walked around Kettler Iceplex with his left knee wrapped. Forward Boyd Gordon is still in Hershey getting treatment for his back issues. He’s out for sure. If Walker still can’t go the Caps could dip into the Hershey roster for another player. Considering this team has 25 players, that’s unexpected.
But there will be chances to hold out star players, if the Caps choose to do so. How about center Nicklas Backstrom, whose played every game the past two seasons? Would he get a rest down the stretch? Tough call for Boudreau, who still wants to keep his players sharp. Forward Mike Knuble, 37, is another candidate.
“Not sure about that, though,” Boudreau said. “He is 37. But it’s also sometimes more taxing practicing out here for 45 minutes or an hour than just playing 17 minutes in a game. And we really only have one real practice day left before the season ends. So [Knuble] will get his rest.”
