The Washington Capitals have re-assigned defenseman Tyler Lewington to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.  

The move means that Brooks Orpik will play his first game since October today.

D pairs today, per Reirden:

Kempny-Carlson
Siegenthaler-Orlov
Orpik-Bowey

It’ll switch around in-game, too.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 31, 2018

FROM CAPITALS MEDIA RELEASE

Lewington, 24, has appeared in two games for the Capitals this season, recording a goal and an assist on Dec. 29 against the Ottawa Senators, marking his first career point and goal in the NHL. The 6’2”, 200-pound defenseman was also charged with a fighting major in the game, marking the first Capitals Gordie Howe hat trick in seven years (Troy Brouwer, Dec. 7, 2011 at Ottawa) and the first time a Capitals defenseman recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick in the regular season since Kevin Hatcher (Feb. 10, 1991 versus Philadelphia).

The Edmonton, Alb., native has recorded six points (2g, 4a) in 26 games with Hershey this season. Lewington has also recorded 67 penalty minutes, which leads the Bears and ranks eighth in the AHL.

Lewington recorded 11 points (2g, 9a) in 71 games last season. Lewington ranked third in the AHL in penalty minutes (149) and third among Hershey defensemen in games played. Lewington is the only player in the AHL to rank in the top five in penalty minutes in each of the previous two seasons. In 211 career games with Hershey, Lewington has 40 points (11g, 29a) and 447 penalty minutes.

Lewington was drafted by the Capitals in the seventh round, 204th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft after spending four seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL).