Caps forward Tomas Fleischmann has been diagnosed with a blood clot, according to team officials, and is out until at least mid-October. The 25-year-old forward is taking blood thinners and not allowed to participate in any contact drills. Fleischmann was in the mix for a second-line forward spot. But his absence gives a little extra hope to players who entered training camp on the roster bubble – especially wingers Chris Bourque and Alexandre Giroux. Fleischmann had a career high 19 goals last season and added 18 assists in 2008-09. He apparently suffered the clot – known as deep vein thrombosis – on an airplane flight. If left untreated, such clots can travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. Here are some thoughts from Caps coach Bruce Boudreau…
Your reaction to Tomas Fleischmann’s blood clot…
Well, obviously we were taken by surprise by it when we knew that it happened. We just wanted him to get better. We’re actually pleasantly surprised that he’s going to be able to compete with us in the first week of the season when we thought it might be a lot longer. So this is actually good news for what it was. These blood clots can get very serious. They caught it early and he should be fine.
When did you first learn about the blood clot?
Some time in the summer.
When you say Fleischmann can “compete with us” do you mean in game situations or practice situations?
We think that it’s in October when he’s allowed to practice with the team and take full contact. So after that it’s just up to Tomas as to how long it’s going to take him to get ready. Now, talking to him this morning, he said he likes to skate by himself anyway to get in shape. So skating by himself in the mornings with our strength guy is not going to be anything different to him. So by the time he’s ready to play I believe it won’t take very long for him to be game ready.
So second or third week of October?
I’m thinking that right now, yeah.
Does that open a window for other players?
It might. We’ve talked to some individuals. It might be a great chance for them to stick with the team- even if it’s for a little while to show what they do. If they start off great, who knows what can happen?
Has Fleischmann been able to train at all this summer?
I haven’t even asked him that. And I don’t know if it was a few months ago. Sometime during the summer. So I don’t know what exactly his training status is. He looks pretty strong to me. And he looks like he is in fine shape – like he has been working out. He’s just not able to work with anybody in contact in case he gets cut or hit. He’s on blood thinners and that can be a dangerous thing.
Are Bourque and Giroux two players who have a better chance to make the final roster and are there any other candidates?
They would be good candidates. Yeah. You never know. Brendan Morrison played left wing last year. So depending on where you want to go – Quintin Laing is a left winger. I think we have options. Eric Fehr – if he’s ready – played left wing last year. So as much as we miss Flash I think we have options.
