The Washington Capitals returned to practice on Thursday after a nine-day break. The NHL paused for All-Star Weekend and the Capitals had their bye week immediately afterward.

Capitals’ star Tom Wilson was absent from practice as he still tries to rehab a lower-body injury. According to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Wilson got some work in before the team’s skate, but left with a “noticeable limp.”

Does not appear that Wilson will be joining practice today. Walked with a noticeable limp as he headed to the room. #Caps https://t.co/FiNoK5OmBN

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) February 9, 2023

Wilson was initially injured in the Capitals’ game against the Colorado Avalanche on January 24. Wilson went to one knee to block a Mikko Rantanen shot and the biscuit struck the ankle area on his right leg.

Wilson would not return to the game and has not appeared in a game since.

The injury came in Tom’s eighth game since returning from major offseason knee surgery. Wilson tore the MCL in his left knee during the Capitals’ first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers and spent the first half of the 2022-23 season rehabbing his injury with Nicklas Backstrom.

Wilson has one goal and three points since getting back into the lineup on January 8 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Fourth-line center Nic Dowd, who is out with a lower-body injury, remains on injured reserve and did not appear at practice. Like Wilson, Dowd skated before the rest of the team came on the ice.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB