Line Change
Strome will be a healthy scratch in the Blackhawks season opener.
Strome’s 2021-22 season will get off to a tough start, as he fell down the depth chart in training camp and will be a healthy scratch in Colorado.
Washington Capitals News
Lapierre is expected to make his NHL debut on Wednesday.
Lapierre was selected No.22 overall in the 2020 draft and cracked the Capitals lineup out of training camp with Nicklas Backstrom (hip) sidelined. Lapierre had eight goals and 23 assists (31 points) in 21 QMJHL goals last season and picked up five assists in four preseason games. Lapierre will start his NHL career as the Capitals third-line centre, with T.J. Oshie and Conor Sheary on his wings.
Ovechkin (lower-body) will be a game-time decision on Wednesday.
Ovechkin has been dealing with a minor lower-body injury but was on the ice for Wednesday’s morning skate and it appears he will be available for the Capitals’ season opener. However, Ovechkin told reporters he did not know if he was playing tonight, so consider him a game-time decision.
The Capitals have placed Nicklas Backstrom (hip) on LTIR.
The Capitals did not provide much clarity on the severity of Backstrom's injury during the preseason but announced on Tuesday that he will be moved to LTIR. The move will keep him out for at least 10 games or 24 days. Hendrix Lapierre appears to be the front runner to replace him down the middle to open the season.
Ovechkin (lower-body) is questionable for the Capitals' season opener on Wednesday.
The Capitals have signed Vincent Iorio to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Capitals do not have a timetable for Backstrom's return from a hip injury.
At this time, surgery is not on the table but the Capitals are still unsure when they will get Backstrom back on the ice. With the veteran centre out, Hendrix Lapierre and Connor McMichael have been impressing in training camp and one or both of them could make the team to start the regular season.
Backstrom (hip) is week-to-week and will miss the start of training camp.
Backstrom will miss the start of training camp as he continues to rehab a lingering hip injury that he battled in 2021. The fact that he will miss the start of training camp is not a great sign but he has not been ruled out for the start of the regular season yet.
The Islanders have re-signed Anthony Beauvillier to a three-year, $12.45 contract.
The Flames have re-signed Luke Philp to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Panthers have re-signed Chase Priskie to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Capitals have signed Michael Vecchione to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Lightning have re-signed Taylor Raddysh to a three-year contract.
The Wild have signed Brandon Duhaime to a two-year contract.
The Blues have signed Charlie Lindgren to a one-year, two-way contract.
The Capitals have signed Hunter Shepard to a two-year, entry-level contract.
The Capitals have signed Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, two-way contract.
The Hurricanes have acquired Ethan Bear from the Oilers for Warren Foegele.
The Capitals have signed Alex Ovechkin to a five-year extension worth $47.5 million ($9.5M AAV).
Ovechkin's cap-hit doesn't change much, going from $9.539M AAV to $9.5M for the next five seasons. Ovechkin currently sits sixth on the all-time goal-scoring list, 164 goals behind Wayne Gretzky for first. A five-year contract will take Ovechkin to 40-years-old and he will need to average 32.8 goals per season to reach Gretzky's mark. He has averaged 52 goals per 82 games over the last three seasons.
The Hurricanes have signed Spencer Smallman to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Smallman was a fifth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2015 but has bounced around between the AHL and ECHL since. In 2021, he had two assists in six AHL games and 12 points (6G / 6A) in eight ECHL games. He will not be a factor in the NHL in 2021-22.
