The Washington Capitals are adding depth to their forward corps after their 3-0 shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Saturday.
The Capitals promoted Mike Sgarbossa from the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Monday morning and in a corresponding move, placed defenseman Matt Roy on injured reserve. Sgarbossa was scratched in Hershey’s final game of their three-in-three this weekend.
Sgarbossa has nine points (1g, 9a) in eight games for the Bears early this season, skating on the first line with Mike Vecchione and Ethen Frank. The Capitals have kept Sgarbossa’s locker filled and ready at MedStar Capitals Iceplex since cutting the pivot from the team’s Training Camp roster on September 29.
Thought this was somewhat interesting. Mike Sgarbossa's stall is still set up in the locker room at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
Per the @Capitals pic.twitter.com/tiGYyRaXyN
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) October 19, 2024
Sgarbossa centered the third line at practice over Hendrix Lapierre, who participated as an extra at the skate. The reigning AHL Playoffs MVP has struggled mightily to start the year, posting no points, and is a minus-5 in 7 games.
How long Sgarbossa will stay is unclear. Roy skated with the Capitals in a non-contact jersey on Monday and is expected back potentially as soon as the team’s three-game homestand begins Tuesday, October 29 against the New York Rangers and ends on Saturday, November 2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Roy has been out since getting hurt in the first game of the year with a lower-body injury.
When Roy is ready to return, a player on the Capitals’ 23-man active roster must be removed. Washington could have placed Roy on IR retroactively to the date of his injury, meaning he can be activated whenever he is deemed fit to return. Players placed on IR must be unable to play for at least a period of seven days.
The Capitals’ full press release is below:
Capitals Recall Mike Sgarbossa
Defenseman Matt Roy Placed on IR
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Mike Sgarbossa from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. In addition, the Capitals have placed defenseman Matt Roy on Injured Reserve (IR).
Sgarbossa, 32, has recorded nine points (1g, 8a) in seven games with Hershey this season, his seventh season with the Bears. Sgarbossa’s eight assists lead Hershey and are the second most in the AHL.
The 6’0”, 192-pound center recorded seven points (4g, 3a) in 25 games with the Capitals in 2023-24, setting an NHL single-season career high in goals and tying his career high in points (2016-17: 2g-5a–7p in 29 GP). Sgarbossa also appeared in 44 games with Hershey, where he registered 43 points (7g, 36a) and ranked first on the Bears in points-per-game (0.98).
Sgarbossa recorded 58 points (21g, 37a) in 60 regular-season games with Hershey in 2022-23, leading the Bears in assists, points and power-play assists (16). 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 269 games with Hershey, Sgarbossa has recorded 246 points (87g, 159a).
The Campbellville, Ontario native has appeared in 42 games with the Capitals since the 2019-20 season, recording 13 points (6g, 7a) and a +5 plus/minus rating. In 90 career NHL games with the Capitals, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche, Sgarbossa has recorded 23 points (8g, 15a). Sgarbossa has recorded 445 points (159g, 286a) in 581 career AHL games with the Bears, Manitoba Moose, San Diego Gulls, Springfield Thunderbirds, Lake Erie Monsters and Norfolk Admirals.
