Photo: @Capitals

It is looking like Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny, who is still recovering from hamstring surgery that took place on April 2, will return to the lineup “next week,” according to head coach Todd Reirden. Reirden doesn’t expect Kempny to play when the Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington) in their home opener on Saturday. Defenseman Jonas Seigenthaler will take Kempny’s spot in the lineup once again on Friday night when the Capitals visit the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum/NYCB Live (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington).

Islanders head coach Barry Trotz would not reveal his starting netminder for their home opener against his former team. Both Thomas Greiss and Semyon Varlamov entered the team’s morning skate at the same time.

Capitals’ Lines at Islanders

Expected Caps lineup at Isles:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Eller-Oshie
Hagelin-Stephenson-Panik
Leipsic-Dowd-Hathaway

Siegenthaler-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
Fehervary-Gudas

Samsonov

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) October 4, 2019

NHL News Bites

• The St. Louis Blues announced they have signed center Brayden Schenn to an eight-year contract extension that carries a cap hit of $6.5 million
• Hurricanes defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk, who is on injured reserve while recovering from shoulder surgery in May, skated with the team for the first time on Friday

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: Ilya Samsonov is expected to make his first career start tonight. More info on the Capitals’ 2015 first round draft pick at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/pDrKQPmflz

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) October 4, 2019

Game Notes

Todd Reirden’s Pregame Presser

🎥: Hear from Coach Reirden before tonight’s game against the Islanders#ALLCAPS #CapsIsles pic.twitter.com/qGJkRQlE5f

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 4, 2019

By Harrison Brown