Photo: @Capitals
The Washington Capitals announced on Tuesday evening that defenseman Michal Kempny will miss 6-8 months after undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon. That would put him on track to return sometime in between April and June 2021.
The 30-year-old recorded three goals, 18 points, and a team-leading +19 rating in 58 regular-season games during the 2019-20 season after missing the first eight while recovering from core muscle surgery that occurred on April 2, 2019.
Kempny recorded one assist and a -2 rating in five Stanley Cup Playoff games but was a healthy scratch for the final three games of the Capitals’ first-round series against the New York Islanders.
The Capitals announced that they re-signed defenseman Brenden Dillion for four years at $3.9 million per season after.
With Kempny out, his $2.5 million cap hit will come off of the books as the Capitals are expected to place him on long-term injured reserve when the 2020-21 season begins.
In 232 career NHL games with the Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, the 30-year-old has recorded 14 goals, 61 points, and a +58 rating.
Kempny recorded a 50.35% Corsi-for percentage and a 49.54% expected goals-for percentage this past season.
He was demoted from the top defensive pairing after Dillon was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on February 19 and was even a healthy scratch for one game.
The Capitals will need to sign a right-handed defenseman in free agency since Kempny will miss at least half of the 2020-21 season. The market is slated to open on Friday at noon ET.
Kempny workout from September 28.
By Harrison Brown
Sorry to hear that happen and have a speedy recovery. May be a blessing for the team in that now they only have to move Jensen.
They need players, Druid. Now only 5 d-men on roster for next season.
maybe they will sign Demelo on Friday and that would solve all the problems. But then again maybe they stay in-house and go with either Fehervary or Alexeyev or maybe even Lewington. Now that Demelo is off the table wonder how Jordan Schmaltz would fit into our lineup?
We don’t need a left handed dee. it will be Dillon-Orlov-Sieg-Fever on the left side. What we need is a righty. Carlson-FA-Jensen.
Man, hockey aside, gotta feel for Kempny. Another devastating injury. He worked so hard to come back from thigh injury.
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