The Capitals have recalled defenseman Tomas Kundratek from AHL Hershey, a team spokesman confirmed. The move was first reported by the Washington Post.
Kundratek is a 6-foot-2, 192-pounder who was acquired in a Nov. 9 trade with the New York Rangers for forward Francois Bouchard. In 21 games with the Bears, Kundratek has six goals and two assists. There was no corresponding roster move announced. But defenseman Mike Green reinjured his right groin on Saturday against the San Jose Sharks.
No word yet on the extent of his injury. Green had missed 23 games in a row and 29 of 30 overall before playing last week against the Calgary Flames. He made it through that contest unscathed, but left the Sharks contest at 9:54 of the second period and did not return. Caps center Nicklas Backstrom did not play at all on the brief two-game trip to California.
Barring an undisclosed injury, Washington still has seven defenseman on the roster – Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Roman Hamrlik, Dennis Wideman, Dmitry Orlov, John Erskine and Jeff Schultz. It’s possible someone else is nursing an injury and – with Hershey already in Charlotte for back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday – Washington wants to have another defenseman close at hand. Everyone was on the ice late in Monday’s 5-2 loss at the Los Angeles Kings – though Erskine played just 10:24 total. But he, too, saw a shift late in the third period. Either way, a roster move was needed to add Kundratek and remain at the NHL-mandated limit of 23 players.
The Caps play Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Tampa Bay on Friday and Carolina on Sunday – all at home. Hershey continues its road trip Saturday night at Binghamton.
Kundratek is a right-handed shot, like Green, and plays primarily on the right side for Hershey. The 21-year-old native of the Czech Republic has never appeared in an NHL game. He was a third-round pick of the Rangers in 2008. Including his time with AHL Connecticut, and Kundratek has 16 points and 16 penalty minutes in 28 AHL games this season.
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