Carl Hagelin out indefinitely after hip procedure

Washington Capitals forward Carl Hagelin is out indefinitely after undergoing an arthroscopic surgical procedure to address his chronic left hip.

Hagelin, 34, was set for his NHL return after a severe eye injury last season threatened his career. The 34-year-old was hit in the eye with a stick during practice in March, ending his season. He previously said that his vision will never return to being 100 percent again.

Hagelin has been with the Capitals since 2019, recording a personal best with them of 25 points in 58 games in 2019-20. His career-high best was his 38-point rookie season in 2011-12, with Hagelin playing for Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles in between. Hagelin was a member of Pittsburgh’s two Stanley Cup teams in 2016 and 2017.

Hagelin wasn’t likely to make it into Washington’s top six, but this was a tough blow. The hard-working, speedy winger missed training camp with a lower-body injury that lingered, leading to the procedure this week.

“It’s been an issue that lingered that he played with,” Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said last month. “It’s gotten worse as time’s gone on. It’s at a bad point right now.”