The Washington Capitals got off to a slow start under rookie head coach Spencer Carbery, but more recently they have begun to turn things around. They are currently right in the thick of a hotly contested Metropolitan Division, and they have as much of a chance to return to the playoffs after last year’s miss as any team.
One of the major things that has hurt the Capitals this season has been injuries, although the team could be getting good news on that front soon.
GM Brian MacLellan told team reporter Tarik El-Bashir that defenseman Joel Edmundson and forward Nic Dowd are nearing a return from injury, and the hope is that both can return to team practice later this week. Edmundson has yet to make his debut for the Capitals, who acquired him for third and seventh-round picks this summer, but he would likely take Alexander Alexeyev’s spot on the left side of the Washington defense.
Dowd, 33, is a veteran fourth-liner who has played for the Capitals since 2018-19. His return would likely allow the team to return its current fourth-line center, Hendrix Lapierre, back to the AHL, a move that might better suit his development.
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