Live from Kettler Iceplex on NHL trade deadline day. Not exactly the best day to be a player – unless you’re on a terrible team and want to jump 30 points in the standings in an instant. Nothing yet from Caps general manager George McPhee. But there are still more than four hours until the 3 p.m. deadline.
Forward Marco Sturm is participating in his first practice with Washington after being claimed off waivers from Los Angeles over the weekend. He appears to have chosen No. 18 and is skating on the second line with Alex Semin and Marcus Johansson. Brooks Laich is on the third line with Jason Chimera and Jay Beagle. Wouldn’t put too much stock in these combinations yet. Once the deadline passes go nuts, though.
Goalies on the ice: Michal Neuvirth. But also Jared DeMichiel, the 25-year-old R.I.T product who has spent much of the season at ECHL South Carolina. He has not been officially recalled, however. Just filling in at practice. Semyon Varlamov is presumably still dealing with the affects of a lower-body injury tweaked during the morning skate on Saturday. He is listed as day-to-day.
Defenseman Mike Green is also not on the ice. His grandmother passed away over the weekend and he’s returned home to Calgary to be with his family.
Wearing the baby blue jerseys on the “fifth line”: Boyd Gordon, Eric Fehr and D.J. King, who is waiting to hear if he’s cleared waivers at noon today. All three switched to white jerseys during the contact portion of practice. David Steckel left the ice early a few minutes ago. Will find out why in a bit. Plenty more to come.
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