Saturday the Capitals wrapped up the regular season and by Sunday we had a schedule. What we didn’t know, and still don’t, is which goaltender would be in front of the net.
And we still don’t know!
Add to that concerns about TJ Oshie and Jay Beagle. The Caps held an optional practice today and a few of the top guns chose to sit it out:
Not participating in Caps optional:
Forwards: Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Oshie, Wilson, Beagle, Boyd.
Defense: Orlov, Carlson.
Beagle has been out with an upper-body injury. Boyd was sick.
Oshie has been dealing with a lower-body issue, but has said he's good to go.
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 9, 2018
Beagle was seen skating after the team left the ice. Perhaps we will see him on Tuesday with the team. And Oshie told Elliott in the Morning that he is: “Ready to jump back on the ice.”
That said, we are still unclear regarding the bottom six lines. Talk continues to swirl around names for those slots like Gersich, Vrana, Boyd, Stephenson, Chiasson and with Djoos Jerabek, and Bowery for the Defense.
John Walton talked to some of them today:
Michal Kempny, Jakub Vrana, Chandler Stephenson and Shane Gersich talk after the first practice of the postseason. #ALLCAPS https://t.co/wmio87FWF4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 9, 2018
We wouldn’t want to be Coach Trotz figuring all this out.
Stay tuned friends – this playoff series is gonna be a wild ride!!