On Wednesday, the Washington Capitals traveled swiftly to Toronto in preparation for their upcoming game against the Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
Prior to their departure, a few members of the team decided to engage in training with skills coach Kenny McCudden, despite head coach Spencer Carbery granting them a day off.
According to Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network, Sonny Milano, Tom Wilson, and Darcy Kuemper participated in the skating session. Charlie McManus, a supporter of the website, captured footage of the three individuals exerting themselves at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
Milano’s involvement stands out, especially considering his recent absence from the lineup due to an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old winger saw only 2 minutes and 37 seconds of ice time in Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets and was subsequently sidelined for Tuesday night’s win against the Detroit Red Wings.
He did engage in practice and put in some additional effort before the Red Wings game, leading Carbery to not completely rule him out, as mentioned in his post-skate media appearance. Milano has been particularly productive in March, tallying seven goals, and has accumulated a total of 20 points (13 goals, 7 assists) in 39 games this season.
Wilson will be absent from the lineup against the Leafs as he serves the fourth game of his six-game suspension imposed by the NHL. This means he will miss the opportunity to play in his hometown after his participation in the All-Star Game there earlier this season. The sizable winger is expected to return to action on April 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In preparation for their trip to Toronto, the Capitals recalled Matthew Phillips on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, potentially providing an additional forward option. Vincent Iorio was also called up after Ethan Bear entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program.
Kuemper has had limited ice time, appearing in only two games throughout March. In those two starts, he conceded a total of 11 goals and was substituted out in one of the games. It is anticipated that he will serve as Charlie Lindgren’s backup until the Capitals encounter back-to-back games against the Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes on April 4-5.