The Washington Capitals will get veteran forward TJ Oshie back into their lineup on Saturday when they take on the New York Rangers. Head coach Spencer Carbery revealed the news during his post morning skate presser.
Oshie has not played since November 24 against the Edmonton Oilers when he suffered a scary, upper-body injury after taking a high hit from Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. The crafty winger was out of the lineup for a total of six games after getting into the first 17 games of the season.
Saturday skate snaps#ALLCAPS | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/57rMlzGKz9
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 9, 2023
While the Capitals were out west on their recent five-game road trip, Oshie stayed busy by getting on the ice with assistant/skills coach Kenny McCudden and a rehabbing Max Pacioretty. When the team arrived back in DC, Oshie started practicing with them in a non-contact jersey but transitioned quickly out of it and is now ready to make his return.
The Capitals placed Oshie on injured reserve days after he suffered his injury and are currently carrying a full, 23-man roster. That means to activate Oshie for the game against New York, an accompanying move will need to be made.
Oshie has just two points (1g, 1a) in his 17 games this season. He had scored his first goal of the campaign just two days before getting injured.
With Carbery confirming on Friday that the plan will be for Sonny Milano to also get back in the lineup, it appears like Hendrix Lapierre might be making his way back to the AHL. Lapierre is waivers exempt, meaning the team does not risk losing him on waivers if they send him down.
Matthew Phillips, Alex Alexeyev, and Lucas Johansen took the team’s healthy scratch skate on Saturday so it looks like Phillips will be coming back out of the lineup so that both Oshie and Milano can go back in. Phillips recorded an assist on Evgeny Kuznetsov’s breakaway goal against the Dallas Stars on Thursday.
The Rangers currently lead the Metropolitan Division by seven points and are first in the entire NHL in terms of standings points percentage (.771). They will come into Saturday’s game very well rested after having not played since Tuesday, a 6-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
