Backstrom (hip) will make his season debut on Sunday.
Washington Capitals News
Nic Dowd will return to the Capitals' lineup Friday vs. Nashville (personal).
Dowd has 10 goals, 17 points, 38 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 39 games and missed his first contest of the year Thursday for the birth of his child.
Alexander Alexeyev will be a healthy scratch Friday vs. Nashville.
Line Change
Aliaksei Protas will be a healthy scratch Friday vs. Nashville.
Nic Dowd will be back in the Capitals' lineup Friday (personal).
Dowd has 10 goals, 17 points, 38 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 39 games and missed his first contest of the year Thursday for the birth of his child.
Goalie Start
Charlie Lindgren will start Friday.
Brandon Duhaime will draw back into Minnesota's lineup Friday.
Duhaime will get his first taste of NHL action since Nov. 23rd as he replaced Mats Zuccarello (upper body) in the Wilds' lineup. The 25-year-old has three goals, four points, 21 SOG and 20 PIMs through 14 games played earlier in the season.
Nic Dowd will not play Thursday vs. Columbus (personal).
Dowd has 10 goals, 17 points, 38 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 39 games but will miss his first contest of the year as he heads away from the team for the birth of his child.
T.J. Oshie will play Tuesday vs. Buffalo (upper body)
Oshie has missed the Capitals' previous six games due to an upper-body injury and was a game-time decision Tuesday, but is expected to play. The 15-year veteran has five goals, six assists, 17 PIMs and 47 SOG through 22 games prior to the injury.
T.J. Oshie will be a game-time decision for the Capitals' Tuesday vs. Buffalo (upper body).
Oshie has missed the Capitals' previous six games due to an upper-body injury and will be a game-time decision Tuesday, but is expected to play. The 15-year veteran has five goals, six assists, 17 PIMs and 47 SOG through 22 games prior to the injury.
Carlson is expected to miss "months, not weeks."
Carlson took a slap shot to the head on December 23rd, and while he did not need surgery, the defenseman is expected to be out until late in the regular season. The Capitals are hopeful that he'll be back well before the playoffs, but it looks like his fantasy hockey season may be over.
Goalie Start
Thompson led the Golden Knights onto the ice for warmups.
Thompson stopped 33 of 37 shots (.892 SV%) to snap a two-game losing streak with a victory over Nashville his last time out. The 25-year-old rookie has been a Calder Trophy front-runner this season, due to her 17-9-1 record, 2.64 GAA and .915 SV%. He will draw the Colorado Avalanche Monday, who will be looking to snap a three-game losing skid after a 6-2 loss to Toronto in their last game.
Goalie Start
Thompson was the first goalie off of the ice at Golden Knights morning skate.
Thompson stopped 33 of 37 shots (.892 SV%) to snap a two-game losing streak with a victory over Nashville his last time out. The 25-year-old rookie has been a Calder Trophy front-runner this season, due to her 17-9-1 record, 2.64 GAA and .915 SV%. He will draw the Colorado Avalanche Monday, who will be looking to snap a three-game losing skid after a 6-2 loss to Toronto in their last game.
Rasmus Sandin will return to the Maple Leafs' lineup Tuesday (Neck).
Sandin has missed the Maple Leafs' previous four games due to a neck injury but will return Tuesday as Toronto takes on St. Louis. The 22-year-old was having a breakout season prior to the injury with two goals, 12 assists, a +7 plus/minus and 33 SOG through 33 games played.
Goalie Start
Thompson led the Golden Knights onto the ice for warmups.
Fehervary (upper-body) will return to the Capitals lineup on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Lindgren will start Saturday afternoon vs. the Canadiens.
Tom Wilson will not play the next game but is very close to returning (ACL)
Wilson has yet to play in 2022-23 due to off-season ACL surgery but is very close to returning as he is skating with the Capitals at practice. The 28-year-old has 115 goals, 158 assists, and 1211 PIMs through 647 career NHL games played and will make an immediate physical impact upon his long-awaited return to the lineup.
Goalie Start
Thompson led the Golden Knights onto the ice for warmups.
Alexander Alexeyev will draw back into the Capitals' lineup Tuesday.
With the injury news to John Carlson, Alexeyev will draw back into Washington's line Tuesday. He last played on Dec. 9th, and has one assist, three SOG and a -1 plus/minus in five games this season.