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After more injury woes, Capitals recall Sonny Milano and two others from Hershey

By Ian Oland

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November 2, 2022 4:26 pm

The Washington Capitals have been devastated by injury this season and Wednesday they made several big transactions.

The team placed TJ Oshie (lower body), John Carlson (lower body), and Beck Malenstyn (upper body) all on injured reserve. Connor Brown was also placed on long-term injured reserve as he’s likely done for the season due to ACL surgery.

Those moves allowed the Capitals to recall three players from AHL Hershey. Forwards Sonny Milano and Garrett Pilon as well as defenseman Lucas Johansen are all on their way to Washington for practice on Thursday.

While Capitals fans are familiar with Pilon and Johansen, Milano may be new to some. The forward was signed by the Capitals after the season started when the team lost Brett Leason and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to waiver claims.

Milano scored 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games for Anaheim last season, skating a bunch with talented forwards Rickard Rakell and Trevor Zegras. Milano did not get a free agent contract over the summer though and was let out of his PTO by the Calgary Flames before Opening Night.

In five games for the Bears, Milano has three points including two goals.

After Malenstyn went down with an injury against the Vegas Golden Knights last night, the Capitals officially became without seven regular skaters.

  • Beck Malenstyn
  • John Carlson
  • TJ Oshie
  • Tom Wilson
  • Connor Brown
  • Nicklas Backstrom
  • Carl Hagelin

This season has been so weird that injury replacements for injured players have been lost to injury. The Capitals have $35.22 million on IR/LTIR, an astonishing 42.7% of the cap.

Here’s the full release from the Washington Capitals:

Capitals Recall Sonny Milano, Garrett Pilon and Lucas Johansen

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled forwards Sonny Milano and Garrett Pilon and defenseman Lucas Johansen from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Milano, 26, has recorded three points (2g, 1a) in five games with Hershey this season. The 6’0”, 194-pound forward recorded 34 points (14g, 20a) in 66 games with the Anaheim Ducks in 2021-22, establishing career highs in assists, points and games played (66) and tying a career high in goals. Milano, who was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2014 NHL Draft, has recorded 81 points (36g, 45a) in 197 career NHL games with Columbus and Anaheim. The Capitals signed Milano as a free agent on Oct. 16.

Pilon, 24, ranks tied for second on Hershey in scoring with five points (1g, 4a) in seven games this season. Pilon scored one goal in two games with the Capitals during the 2021-22 season. The 6’0”, 196-pound forward recorded his first career NHL goal and point on Nov. 16, 2021, against the Anaheim Ducks and was one of nine Capitals rookies to score his first career goal last season. In three career NHL games with the Capitals, Pilon has recorded one goal. The Mineola, New York native recorded 42 points (17g, 25a) in 60 games with Hershey last season, leading the Bears in goals and ranking second on the team in points. In 213 career AHL games with Hershey, Pilon has recorded 132 points (50g, 82a). The Capitals selected Pilon with their third-round pick, 87th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Johansen, 24, has scored one goal in six games with Hershey this season. Johansen made his NHL debut and recorded his first career point on Dec. 31, 2021 against the Detroit Red Wings. The 6’2”, 180-pound defenseman recorded 28 points (8g, 20a) in 62 games with Hershey during the 2021-22 season, establishing AHL career highs in goals, points and plus/minus (20). Johansen finished the season ranked first among Hershey defensemen in plus/minus and second in goals, assists and points. In 201 career AHL career games with Hershey, Johansen has recorded 74 points (18g, 56a). The Capitals selected Johansen with their first-round pick, 28th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.

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