Head coach Peter LaViolette says both right fielder Tom Wilson and center Niklas Backstrom will not accompany the Washington Capitals to Thursday’s game at the Columbus Blue Jackets after Wednesday’s optional practice. (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), but both are “pretty close” to their season debuts.
Commenting on the injury timeline for Niklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson, Peter Laviolette said: They are getting closer (to comeback) and closer to each other. ”
They won’t be moving on for tomorrow’s game against Columbus, but there’s still no decision from there.
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) January 4, 2023
Backstrom, 35, has been practicing in Washington since before Thanksgiving after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in Belgium on June 2. He has missed five days since being placed on his COVID-19 protocol, but according to LaViolette, his season is not expected to delay his debut.
After missing the first 28 games of last season with a hip injury and returning to one game, Backstrom landed on COVID-19 protocol and missed the next two games.
Wilson, 28, joined Washington for practice in mid-December after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL on May 25. He was injured after playing just 1:31 in Stanley’s Cup playoffs in Game 1 of his series in Washington’s first round against the Florida Panthers. Wilson has not played since.
The return of their two biggest contributors should give Washington a 14-3-3 record in its last 20 games as they head into the prime of the Eastern Conference postseason race. The challenge for the team is to determine who Wilson and Backstrom will replace in an already deep group of forwards, averaging 3.28 goals per game (tied for 11th in the NHL) and clicking with 21.7% efficiency on power play. So (17th), the team is doing well.
After leading Washington in scoring last season, Backstrom finished the season with six goals and 31 points in 47 games. He also recorded his 4 assists and his 6 points in his 6 games in the postseason.
Wilson had a career-high goals (24), assists (28) and points (52) in 78 appearances in the 2021-22 season. He scored a powerplay goal in a brief postseason stint last spring.
After back-to-back games against the Nashville Predators on Friday, Washington is tied for third place in the Metropolitan Division on Wednesday, alongside the New York Rangers (who have a game ahead).
Harrison Brown