A relatively slow day at Kettler Iceplex on Tuesday as the Capitals prepare for tomorrow’s home game against Toronto. Lines looked about the same in practice on Tuesday. Rookie center Marcus Johansson was still in a yellow non-contact jersey. Every other player was on the ice save goalie Semyon Varlamov. Looked like Tomas Fleischmann played center on a line with Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble – though Laich had played there for the first time this season on Saturday against Calgary.
Caps coach Bruce Boudreau guessed that Varlamov is about 7-to-10 days away from playing in an actual game. Don’t take that as gospel, though. The 22-year-old Russian is expected to skate on Wednesday morning. He has played just one game and two periods so far this season and Boudreau expects a slow and steady process from the time he hits the ice until the time he’s ready for live game action.
“[Varlamov] knows his body a lot better than we do,” Boudreau said, later adding that “it’s hard to read his emotions sometimes, but I would bet he’s a little frustrated by now.”
Johansson “is not there yet,” according to Boudreau. The Caps are again being cautious with the 20-year-old, who is dealing with a hip injury. Defenseman Tom Poti is still sore. He last played on Oct. 21 against Boston – same as Varlamov – and is questionable for the Maple Leafs game. Then again, defenseman Tyler Sloan is smarting, too, didn’t play against Calgary on Saturday and isn’t 100 percent sure he’ll be able to go, either. In that case check for a call-up from AHL Hershey either later today or in the morning. Brian Fahey played vs. the Flames.
Will have a preview of the Maple Leafs game for our print edition tomorrow. Toronto (5-4-1, 11 points) got off to a fast start and had its rabid fanbase dreaming of the playoffs. But the offense has dried up lately so some of that early enthusiasm has waned a bit.
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