The Washington Capitals will get Matt Roy, their marquee free-agency signing, back in the lineup against the Nashville Predators. Roy participated fully in Tuesday’s practice and Wednesday’s morning skate.
The 29-year-old defender has been out of action with a lower-body injury since Washington’s home opener loss to the New Jersey Devils.
“Matt Roy is going to play for the Washington Capitals tonight,” head coach Spencer Carbery said.
Hard to think about hockey this morning, but the show must go on. Caps face the Nashville Predators tonight. Matt Roy is a full participant in morning skate again, while Jakob Chychrun is here in a no-contact jersey. pic.twitter.com/NxjHh4C1Nd
— Katie Adler (@katieEadler) November 6, 2024
Roy’s return led to Dylan McIlrath taking the healthy scratch skate and joining Jakub Vrana, Mike Sgarbossa, and Vincent Iorio.
McIlrath will be a scratch for the first time since the team’s Opening-Night loss, while Vrana sits for the third time this season after being replaced by Sonny Milano in Carolina on Sunday.
Wednesday’s projected lineup
With Roy’s return, the Capitals are close to being fully healthy on defense. Jakob Chychrun joined his teammates for the skate on Wednesday, but was still in a light blue, non-contact sweater. While Chychrun won’t play against Nashville, Carbery did not entirely rule him out for the club’s upcoming back-to-back against the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.
“He’s getting close,” Carbery said. “We’ll see what the plan for him is tomorrow. Not sure on the back-to-back, but we’ll see where we go. I’ll talk to the training staff after we wrap up this morning.”
#CapsPreds coming up 🔜#ALLCAPS | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/IdffzYMx9W
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 6, 2024
Outside of Roy jumping back into the mix, the Capitals’ other change from the team that lost to the Hurricanes on Sunday will come in net. Carbery is sticking with his alternating goaltenders strategy, putting Logan Thompson back in the cage against the Predators.
Thompson has yet to lose a decision this season, posting a 5-0 record with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .894 save percentage. Per MoneyPuck, the 27-year-old backstop has outperformed Charlie Lindgren in the early going, stopping 1.7 goals above expected, while Lindgren has allowed 2.9 more goals than expected.
The Predators come into Wednesday night’s game at the bottom of the NHL’s Central Division and tied for the fewest standings points in the league (9) with the Philadelphia Flyers. Nashville last played on Monday night, falling 3-0 to the Los Angeles Kings.
Update: Vincent Iorio was optioned back to Hershey to accommodate Matt Roy coming off injured reserve.
