Your last chance to see the Caps for a few days came and went this morning. The team is flying to Edmonton this afternoon two days before their game with the Oilers to adjust to the Mountain time zone.
Defenseman Mike Green missed his second consecutive practice. His agent, Craig Oster, said Monday that it’s a right ankle injury. The team is sticking with “lower-body injury” and that Green is day-to-day. Jay Beagle missed his 10th consecutive practice as he recovers a suspected concussion. He says otherwise in this interview with Caps senior staff writer Mike Vogel.
My guess is we’re parsing words here. Bruce Boudreau and Brooks Laich have publically used the word “protocol” about Beagle’s situation and how he’s working with head trainer Greg Smith to return to the ice. Maybe I’m wrong. But I’ve never heard that word used in any context but a concussion – or at least concussion-related symptoms. Beagle got punched twice in the face by Arron Asham on Oct. 13 in Pittsburgh and appeared to be briefly knocked out. Whatever. Beagle appears to be making progress towards a return and that’s the important thing. But he will not accompany the Caps on their brief two-game road trip.
“Beags is good. We see him around the rink every day. We want him back on the ice, but that’s not our decision,” Laich said during his weekly radio spot on 106.7 – The Fan Tuesday morning. “I’m not sure what the protocol is that he’s going through or whatever. But he’s around the rink. He’ in his workout gear. He’s got an upbeat attitude. It’s killing the guy not to be on the ice. I think we’ll see him pretty soon.”
Meanwhile, defenseman Sean Collins has been recalled from AHL Hershey. With John Erskine (shoulder surgery) yet to be cleared by team doctors and Green officially listed as day-to-day, Washington needs an extra blueliner on its trip to western Canada. It plays at Vancouver on Saturday night. Erskine will not travel with the team.
At practice, Dennis Wideman was paired with Roman Hamrlik, Green’s partner in every game this season so far. Read into that what you will. Wideman and Hamrlik got some time together during the preseason. Collins skated with Jeff Schultz.
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