Tuesday morning, the All-Star Break officially ended, and one big mystery surrounding the Capitals was solved one minute into practice.
Caps superstar Evgeny Kuznetsov, who left Thursday’s Caps-Panthers game with a painful lower-body injury, has recovered and is apparently fine.
Kuznetsov was the first skater on the ice and participated in practice fully.
Evgeny Kuznetsov is the first #Caps player on the ice. He’s got a red jersey on so it looks like he’ll practice. pic.twitter.com/8BBjUJ83TR
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) January 30, 2018
Evgeny Kuznetsov was on the ice early wearing his normal red jersey. Looks like he will practice today, as the Capitals filter out of the locker room.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) January 30, 2018
#Caps Evgeny Kuznetsov on the ice for practice this morning. Kuznetsov left last Thursday's game w lower-body injury pic.twitter.com/jbkxfHIrrk
— Ben Raby (@BenRaby31) January 30, 2018
Kuznetsov has taken his usual spot in the lineup between Ovechkin and Wilson. So it indeed looks like he’s fine. #Caps
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) January 30, 2018
Kuznetsov originally suffered a lower-body injury after stepping on a Panthers player’s skate. Kuznetsov did a half split and needed help getting back to the locker room.
After the game, speculation by fans and analysts centered on Kuznetsov potentially tearing or tweaking his groin or a knee ligament.
“After the face-off as he goes down, he steps on the player’s skate,” NBC Sports Washington’s Alan May said then. “You’re not sure if that’s a knee, a groin, or whatever. You see how he goes across. He goes down and gets up. He can’t push on his left leg. So he uses his right skate to slowly get over to the bench. You’re just hoping it’s a strain, not a tear, not a rip. Just something minor that will heal over the All-Star Break.”
In two updates to the media, head coach Barry Trotz said Kuznetsov “was walking around” after the game. In Tampa, two days later for the All-Star Game, Trotz revealed that he was “not that concerned” about Kuznetsov’s injury.
Now we see why. Here are the full lines from today.
Lines during rushes at practice just now:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Burakovsky-Backstrom-Oshie
Vrana-Eller-Connolly
Chiasson-Beagle-DSPStephenson is in red, as it looks like team will scrimmage today. Same D pairs as usual.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) January 30, 2018
