The Capitals announced on Wednesday that forward Connor Brown will be out “long term” with a lower body injury. The team did not provide a specific amount time for the estimated absence for Brown, but did place him on injured reserve. Carl Hagelin was moved to injured non-roster.
Capitals say Connor Brown has a lower body injury that will keep him out long term. Still to be determined if he’ll have surgery. He’s been placed on injured reserve.
Carl Hagelin (hip surgery) has been shifted to long term injured reserve
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) October 19, 2022
Brown was injured in the third period of Monday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. As a result, the team also announced on Wednesday that they have recalled forward Beck Malenstyn from Hershey.
Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette spoke about Brown during his weekly radio spot on 107.7 The Fan Wednesday morning.
“Certainly not what we wanted to see with him. He’s such a hard working guy, and competitive guy on the ice. So that was tough to see him leave the game.”
Brown slammed awkwardly into the boards in front of the Vancouver bench after a hit from Canucks’ defenseman Noah Juulsen. Brown limped away and headed directly down the Capitals tunnel.
Connor Brown goes into the boards awkwardly after a hit from Noah Juulsen and comes up limping. Elias Pettersson tries to help Brown to the bench but the ref intervenes. Brown immediately heads down the #Caps tunnel. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/XIITGo7vAy
— Lachlan Irvine (@LachInTheCrease) October 18, 2022
Washington acquired Brown on July 13 from the Ottawa Senators, who the team plays on Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington), in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick. The 28-year-old scored 10 goals, 39 points, 50.26% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 48.58% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 48.81% scoring chances-for percentage in 64 games last season.
With the Brown injury and the one game suspension to Evgeny Kuznetsov, it’s likely that Connor McMichael and Joe Snively, who have been healthy scratches for all four of the Capitals four games, will be in the lineup on Thursday in Ottawa.
By Jon Sorensen
This is starting out very much like last season (Mantha)
Aka, a clear boarding call, straight to the numbers that went uncalled and unpunished. This is why even though I agree with Kuzy’s punishment, I also hate that it seems to never go in our favor even when it should. Cheap shot against a Cap’s player….. nothing to see here; move along! Now we’re down a man. I feared at the time he’s broken something or trashed a knee.
In my more cynical moods, I want to update the “Down Goes Brown” flowchart to include decision points on whether a team is “Most Favored” or not, with Caps falling into the latter category.
In a comment to a different article I asked how Lavi considers each line, what he expects from each one and how he would treat each one differently. If the 4th line is the rough stuff, down in the trenches line, I don’t think Snively is the right player for it. Would Beck be better? Earlier Jon wrote that Beck “will be competing with Axel Jonsson-Fjallby for the fourth line left wing spot vacated by Carl Hagelin. ” Well, that competition is gone, but it seems to me Jon that you would advocate for Beck to line up with Dowd and Hathaway not Snively.
I agree (remembering Wilson’s being utilized on the fourth-line). Perhaps he’ll move him up in-game if he plays well to warrant it.
I really wanted Snively and McMichael to get in the lineup but this isn’t exactly how I envisioned it happening.
And don’t forget, Milano waiting in the wings at some point.