The Washington Capitals have a few days before they’re set to travel up to New York for Game One of their first-round series with the Rangers. The off days will be important as the team has a few key pieces on their backend recovering from injuries.
Neither Rasmus Sandin nor Nick Jensen were able to dress for the Capitals’ final two games of the regular season due to their respective upper-body injuries. Head coach Spencer Carbery revealed during his post-practice media availability on Thursday that there is a chance both defenders could dress against the Rangers in Game One.
“For sure there is [a chance],” Carbery said. “We’ll just see how the rest of the week progresses and make a decision once we get to New York.”
According to RMNB’s Katie Adler, both players got in some work on the ice before the team’s optional skate on Thursday. Carbery confirmed that update.
“They did, yeah,” Carbery said. “They skated before the optional.”
Sandin has been out of the team’s lineup since April 7 when he suffered a reported head injury against the Ottawa Senators. The injury saw him miss the final five games of the regular season and only get back on the ice in a non-contact jersey for the first time on Monday.
The 24-year-old rearguard played more minutes on average per game this season (21:07) than any other Capitals player not named John Carlson (25:54). In his first full season with the Capitals, Sandin got into 68 games and recorded 23 points (3g, 20a).
Jensen’s skate on Thursday was his first since being stretchered off the ice against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 13. The veteran blueliner thankfully escaped serious injury and was spotted walking around MedStar Capitals Iceplex just a day after the scary incident.
After Carlson and Sandin, Jensen plays the third-most minutes of any Capitals player per game this season (19:38). A huge portion of those minutes, 2:46 per game, come on the penalty kill where he is the first defender sent over the boards.
Sandin and Jensen’s injuries came concurrent with Ethan Bear stepping away from the team to enter the NHL/NHLPA’s Player Assistance program. The three absences at the same time led to the recall of Vincent Iorio, Lucas Johansen, and Dylan McIlrath from the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
The three call-ups have an extensive amount of AHL playoff experience, especially after their successful run to the Calder Cup last year but have played in just one NHL playoff game combined. McIlrath received his NHL postseason debut with the New York Rangers in 2016.
Sandin and Jensen have a combined 31 games of NHL playoff experience.
