The last time Troy Brouwer took to the ice for an NHL game he was still with the Chicago Blackhawks, a devastating Game 7 loss to Vancouver on April 26 in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But a sore shoulder limited Brouwer much of last season and got worse in the playoffs where his ice time dropped dramatically in the final three games of that series.
Brouwer needed right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in May and was traded to the Capitals in a draft-day deal about six weeks later. Back on the ice Monday night for the first time, Brouwer tried to keep his expectations in check. Then again – he was playing alongside Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin on the top line so he wanted to perform.
“It’s always tough when you play the first game in four or five months coming off an injury, coming to a new team. That’s why I wanted to get into a couple exhibition games here, kind of get settled,” Brouwer said. “You lose your timing and your hockey sense a little bit when you’re off for that long. I thought I did okay last night, but there’s a lot of my game I think I’ve got to improve on – being in the right spot at the right time and hitting those holes like you do in midseason form.”
Brouwer earned some power-play time and assisted on Dennis Wideman’s goal in the first period. He ended up with 16:29 of ice time, was credited with five hits and took five shots. His line was also on the ice for Columbus’ only goal, a third-period tally by noted Caps killer Vinny Prospal.
No guarantee Brouwer will start the season on the top line, but getting a chance to skate with Ovechkin and Backstrom was a pretty good primer. He said he probably doesn’t need to go in all three of the final preseason games, but believes two more should have him ready for the regular season. Doesn’t hurt that he’s spent time in years past with skilled players like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in Chicago.
“Practice is one thing, but once you get into the game that’s when you start to figure out where guys are,” Brouwer said. “In practice there’s a lot of fanciness and guys trying things to better themselves. So for now until I can get a couple more games with a couple guys and whoever [coach] Bruce [Boudreau] thinks I’m going to play with once I get a couple games with them I think it’ll settle in a little easier.”
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