Friday morning, Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky returned to the ice for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury April 15.
Burakovsky went through a conditioning skate — AKA Camp Nemo — at Kettler before the Caps optional practice at noon.
The team first announced the news this morning with a photo.
.@andreburakovsky returns to the ice this morning. Getting a skate in an hour before the Caps’ optional practice #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/waIcPGf4qD
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 4, 2018
NBC Sports Washington’s Tarik El-Bashir also posted video.
Andre Burakovsky just wrapped up another Camp Nemo session. Looks like he’s progressing. We’ll seek an update from Coach Barry Trotz. #Caps #CapsPens pic.twitter.com/fZPl4B3KQ6
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 4, 2018
Burakovsky looked spry as he slid around the rink, but the Swedish winger did not do any stickhandling or handle pucks.
Burakovsky, who got hurt in Game 2 of the first round, did not handle pucks today, tho. In addition to needing to get back his conditioning, there’s hands, timing, etc. So he’s still a bit away from returning. #Caps
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 4, 2018
On April 25, Barry Trotz said Burakovsky was week-to-week, but did not rule the forward out for the Penguins series.
With Tom Wilson suspended three games for an illegal head hit, the Capitals iced Devante Smith-Pelly on the first line Thursday. After being the team’s best line in the postseason, the trio struggled in Game Four and were dominated in shot attempts by the Penguins.
Andre Burakovsky hearing the Caps need a top line winger pic.twitter.com/ecOLmyMH3M
— doug crap (@LorenzoMeow) May 4, 2018
Trotz reiterated to the press afterwards that Burakovsky remains week-to-week with his injury.
Andre Burakovsky is “week-to-week,” Trotz said. Today was the first day he skated.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) May 4, 2018
You should take this to mean it’s highly unlikely he’ll be available for this series.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) May 4, 2018
Headline photo: @Capitals
