The Washington Capitals announced that defenseman Rasmus Sandin underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair an ACL tear in his right knee.
Sandin suffered the injury on April 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and missed the final two games of the regular season. According to the team, his recovery timeline will be determined by his individual progression, but could fall anywhere from 6 to 9 months.
The news comes after Capitals general manager Chris Patrick revealed earlier this week that Sandin was expected to miss the beginning of next season and that his injury would impact the club’s offseason roster construction plans. Given the shared recovery timeline, Sandin could return anywhere between late October and late January.
Sandin recorded 29 points (5g, 24a) in 73 games for the Capitals during his fourth season with the club. After John Carlson was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks at the deadline, Sandin took up a larger role with the Caps, averaging the third most time on ice per game on the team, 19:53, in 17 post-deadline games.
The 26-year-old rearguard seemed aware of the severity of his injury during his Breakdown Day media availability, telling reporters that he expected to do “quite a bit of rehab” during the offseason.
Sandin finished the year playing on the right side of the Capitals’ defense. With his injury, the Caps only have Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath slated to start next season as players under contract who played on the right side during the 2025-26 campaign.
