ARLINGTON, Va. — Nicklas Backstrom is optimistic that he’ll play for the Washington Capitals sooner or later this season after convalescing from resurfacing surgery on his left hip, however there is not any timetable for his return.
“I’m going to start off by saying I’m pain free,” the middle stated Thursday, the primary day of coaching camp. “No more pain that I had before. I’m feeling good. I’m in the gym working out, doing my rehab. So far, so good. I’m very optimistic that I’m going to play before the season ends.”
The 34-year-old ignored the primary 28 video games closing season rehabbing his hip and returned to attain 31 issues (six targets, 25 assists) in 47 video games. After coping with the ache in his hip the previous two seasons, Backstrom had surgery June 17.
“It was a life-changer for me in daily life,” he stated. “Just to pick up socks, tie my shoes, stuff like that — and play with my kids. I couldn’t really do that, either. It helped me a lot functionally, and I’m happy about that. That part, I’m feeling great. Now it’s just the next step to get me back to the ice.”
Backstrom hasn’t begun skating and is specializing in aerobic and strengthening paintings.
“I know physically he feels real well now just doing daily stuff,” normal supervisor Brian MacLellan stated. “I think it’ll be a long progression and see how the skating affects it, the strength how it comes back, the mobility how it comes back and how he’ll be able to use it in game situations. So, I think it’ll be a long road, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Forward Tom Wilson, who had surgery May 24 to reconstruct a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and can omit the beginning of season, stated his restoration is progressing neatly. Neither Wilson nor MacLellan gave an replace on his timetable to return; the Capitals stated in May that Wilson would want 6-8 months to get better.
“I feel good,” Wilson stated. “I feel like I’ve kind of been ahead of schedule per se since Day One, but that doesn’t mean much unfortunately. Obviously, I want to be as good as I can every day, but you’ve still got to wait.”
Wilson stated there is not any timetable for when he’ll start skating. He was once injured seeking to hit Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on May 3 and ignored the rest of the best-of-7 sequence, which Florida received in six video games.
“There was definitely — we weren’t putting up a smokescreen — in our head we were going to do everything I could to get back [in the series],” Wilson stated, “and there was a couple of big tests on the ice where it just didn’t happen, so we had to shut it down.”
The 28-year-old set NHL occupation highs of 24 targets, 28 assists and 52 issues closing season, his 9th within the League, in 78 video games.
Forward T.J. Oshie printed Thursday he had a core process performed early within the offseason. He didn’t participate within the skate trying out Thursday however stated he expects to be at the ice Friday. The 35-year-old had 25 issues (11 targets, 14 assists) in 44 video games closing season.
Forward Carl Hagelin, operating to return from a left eye damage sustained when he was once struck with a stick blade throughout apply March 1, didn’t take part within the skate trying out.
“He has a lower-body injury that needs to be addressed, and we’re working through the final parts of it right now,” MacLellan stated. “He’ll be out indefinitely.”
Hagelin up to now stated the choroid behind his eye was once ruptured and that he would possibly not regain complete imaginative and prescient within the eye.
“I think it’s still improving, so it’s inconclusive at this point where he’s at,” MacLellan stated of Hagelin’s imaginative and prescient. “He’ll have some time here, because of the other thing going on, to heal and see where it goes.”
The 34-year-old had 14 issues (3 targets, 11 assists) in 53 video games closing season.