Washington's Capitals confirmed that blueliner Rasmus Sandin went under the knife on Tuesday for a procedure to mend a torn right-knee ACL.
His injury traces back to April 11, when Sandin got hurt facing Pittsburgh's Penguins and ended up sitting out the team's final two regular-season tilts. Per the franchise, which posted the update on X, the speed of his recovery will depend on how he individually progresses, though the projected window runs from six all the way to nine months.
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This update arrives on the heels of remarks delivered a few days prior by GM Chris Patrick, who indicated Sandin looked likely to be missing when the new season starts, with the ailment poised to inform the way management builds out its roster this summer. Applying that healing timetable, his return could come anywhere from late in October to the tail end of January.
In his fourth campaign wearing a Washington sweater, Sandin put up five goals and 24 assists for 29 points across 73 outings. After Anaheim's Ducks acquired John Carlson in a deadline deal, Sandin took on heavier responsibility, ranking third among the Caps in average nightly ice time at 19:53 over the 17 games that followed the deadline.
While meeting reporters on Breakdown Day, the 26-year-old defender came across as someone who recognized the gravity of what he was dealing with, noting he anticipated grinding through a sizable amount of rehab this offseason.
To finish the year, Sandin patrolled the right flank of the Washington blue line. His absence leaves Matt Roy plus Dylan McIlrath as the lone right-side defenders presently signed and penciled in to begin next year who handled that role throughout 2025-26.