The Washington Capitals held practice on Monday in Arlington at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Here are the latest news from the skate. Tom Wilson did not skate. Alex Ovechkin and Sonny Milano were there before practice.
Alex Ovechkin skated for a little more than 20 minutes this morning and Sonny Milano skated as well. Both in non contact jerseys.
New week, new footage of Alex Ovechkin ramping up. The #Caps’ captain skated for a little more than 20 minutes this morning. (h/t to @MonSportsNet photog Greg Abernathy.) pic.twitter.com/qFCNR8Q8Bh
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) December 9, 2024
Sonny Milano, in a non-contact jersey, is on the ice (way) ahead of practice. He’s been sidelined with an upper body injury since early November. #Caps pic.twitter.com/BY8fZ9ohKx
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) December 9, 2024
Tom Wilson was marked absent from practice after he took a puck to the face in Montreal that came with subsequent swelling as well. Milano did work with pucks, shooting and passing but Ovechkin is not at that stage yet in his recovery.
"He's getting checked out today just to make sure everything is OK and then we'll find out. I hope that it's all good and it was just swelling and all that, but we'll know more this afternoon. "Spencer Carbery per Tom Gulitti on X
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery on Tom Wilson not practicing today:
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) December 9, 2024
“He’s getting checked out today just to make sure everything is OK and then we’ll find out. I hope that it’s all good and it was just swelling and that, but we’ll know more this afternoon."
When asked if there's any concern on Wilson's status for their road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night:
"I would say that the concern level is not high, but there is a chance. We just have to make sure that there's nothing structurally wrong, so that's what they're in the process of finding out right now. "Spencer Carbery
Any concern Wilson won't be able to play at CBJ on Thursday?
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) December 9, 2024
Carbery: “I would say that the concern level is not high, but there is a chance. We just have to make sure that there’s nothing structurally wrong, so that’s what they’re in the process of finding out right now.”
On Ovechkin and Milano skating before practice, Carbery would add, "Still status quo. Nothing has changed with their timeline or moving back. It's just another posiive step. They continue to build reps on the ice, so we're just continuing to progress to getting them back."
The next step for Ovechkin will be doing some drills with pucks. Carbery would then say, "Then I think you'll see him closer to practice time. Like with Kenny McCudden before practice and then I'm sure it will probably go to he'll take part in a couple drills."
The Capitals enter the week atop the NHL standings with a record of 19-6-2 which is their best start through the first 27 games of a season since 2019-20 when they went 18-4-5. Washington is tied with the Minnesota Wild for the highest point percentage at .741 in the League. Caps hold the edge in regulation wins and have earned 17 of their 19 wins in the 60 minutes.
Caps are back in action on Thursday night at the Columubs Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monumental Sports Network at 7 p.m.