Photo: NHL.com

Washington Capitals’ forward Travis Boyd is listed week-to-week with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot late in the Capitals’ 4-0 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. 

Per @VogsCaps, Travis Boyd is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Blocked a shot late in the Caps’ preseason game in St. Louis on Tuesday.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) September 27, 2018

Boyd was expected to contend for the Capitals’ fourth-line center vacancy along with free agent acquisitions Nic Dowd and Jayson Megna after center Jay Beagle signed with the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason. He will not be ready for opening night against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, Capitals’ head coach Todd Reirden said.

Reirden said Boyd probably won’t be ready for opening night. Whether he goes on IR is a management decision, but Caps will now be looking to keep another forward with him hurt.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) September 27, 2018

The 24-year old recorded 15 goals, 47 points, and a -24 rating in 61 games with the Hershey Bears in 2017-18. He led the team with 63 points in 2016-17 when he also had 16 goals. He has 53 goals, 168 points, and a -1 rating in 215 career games in Hershey. Boyd also recorded one assist and a +2 rating in eight games with the Capitals in 2017-18. He appeared in Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs when center Nicklas Backstrom sat out with a hand injury.

The Capitals have the option of putting him on injured reserve to bring another player up for the opening night roster. Boyd would have to be placed on waivers if the team were to send him down to Hershey.

By Harrison Brown