The Washington Capitals announced that they have recalled forward Mike Sgarbossa from the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Thursday. Sgarbossa, Hershey’s leading scorer, jumps up to the big club ahead of the Capitals’ matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor McMichael missed Wednesday night’s game against the New York Islanders due to an illness.
The move indicates that the Capitals expect McMichael to miss another game. This is Sgarbossa’s second recall to the NHL this season after he came up as insurance in early November when Evgeny Kuznetsov was out ill.
NEWS | The Capitals have recalled forward Mike Sgarbossa from the Hershey Bears. https://t.co/7B846Whs5e
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 21, 2023
Sgarbossa has 28 points (5g, 23a) in 28 games for the league-leading Bears. The 31-year-old veteran has played in 17 games for the Capitals since the start of the 2019-20 season, recording six points (2g, 4a). His last game with the team came on January 8, 2022 against the Minnesota Wild.
The 2023 Calder Cup champ signed a two-year extension with the Capitals this past May. He’ll join Bears teammates Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko after the two rookies were summoned by Washington earlier this week.
The Capitals are able to recall Sgarbossa despite the holiday roster freeze and can still return him to Hershey during it if his recall is on an emergency basis. If a player is on emergency recall, and they were recalled to the NHL after December 11, they can still be loaned back to the AHL by midnight on December 23 as long as they don’t need waivers. Sgarbossa won’t require waivers as he was already previously waived this season and has not played in 10 or more cumulative NHL Games since or been on the NHL roster for 30 cumulative days.
If Sgarbossa’s recall is not of the emergency variety, he will be with the team until December 28 when the freeze is lifted. The Capitals are now carrying 14 forwards and have a full 23-man roster.
Here’s the team’s press release on the move:
Capitals Recall Mike Sgarbossa
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Mike Sgarbossa from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Sgarbossa, 31, leads Hershey in assists (23) and points (28) in 28 games played this season. The 6’0”, 185-pound center also ranks second in the AHL in assists and third in points.
Sgarbossa recorded 58 points (21g, 37a) in 60 regular-season games with Hershey in 2022-23, his fifth season with the Bears. Last season, Sgarbossa led Hershey in assists, points and power-play assists (16) and ranked tied for first on the team in game-winning goals (5), second in power-play points (18), tied for second in plus/minus (+19) and third in goals. Sgarbossa’s 58 points marked his highest single season point total since 2018-19 (65p in 75 GP), his first season with the Bears, while his 37 assists marked a career high. In 246 games with Hershey, Sgarbossa has recorded 222 points (84g, 138a).
The Campbellville, Ontario native has appeared in 17 games with the Capitals since the 2019-20 season, recording six points (2g, 4a). In 65 career NHL games with the Capitals, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche, Sgarbossa has recorded 16 points (4g, 12a). Sgarbossa has recorded 421 points (156g, 265a) in 558 career AHL games with the Bears, Manitoba Moose, San Diego Gulls, Springfield Thunderbirds, Lake Erie Monsters and Norfolk Admirals.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
