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washington capitals
Max Pacioretty could make his debut when the Washington Capitals visit the New York Islanders on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, MNMT2, MSGSN).
The forward, who hasn’t played this season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, line-rushed alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov and Matthew Phillips on Thursday.
“There’s a chance (for Pacioretty to play Friday),” Capitals manager Spencer Carberry said Thursday. “I expect him to play in one of the next two games (Saturday’s game against the Nashville Predators), barring some minor setback. [wanted] Get him on the line and do a few more reps to get him even more comfortable and try to get him into that situation as much as possible if you actually go tomorrow. ”
Pacioretty participated in the team’s first full-contact practice on Dec. 19, and Carberry said he expects Pacioretty to make his debut right after the NHL break. Pacioretty played in five games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season before tearing his Achilles tendon for the second time. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Capitals on July 1, which includes an additional $2 million in performance-based incentives.
Pacioretty played in 855 regular season games in 15 NHL seasons, scoring 645 points (326 goals, 319 assists), including six seasons in which he scored 30 or more goals.
“We’re looking for someone who can score five-on-five, and he’s proven in the past that he can contribute in that department,” Carberry said. “He will be a welcome addition. He has to be taken with a grain of salt. He has missed a lot of time, so we will be patient and allow him to adapt to the speed of the game, the pace of the game, the shape of the game. We have to make sure we get it back.”
toronto maple leafs
Mark Giordano is expected to return to the Maple Leafs on Friday (7 p.m. ET, BSOH, SNO) against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The defenseman, who has missed 12 games since fracturing his thumb in a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Nov. 28, missed a morning game before a 4-2 loss at Ottawa. I practiced on Thursday, the day after I participated in skating. Senator. This was the first time Giordano participated in a full-squad practice since his injury.
“I feel great,” Giordano said Thursday. “Our staff was trained on the ice, through the medical staff and on-ice training. The fact that I was able to skate a lot was great. It didn’t take that much time off the ice. “It was good. But I feel like I’m ready. We’ll see how everything goes throughout the day, but I feel good.”
Giordano has five points (one goal, four assists) in 20 games this season, with a minus-1 rating. Toronto is 6-3-3 since the injury.
“He looked good. He’ll be ready tomorrow,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Thursday. “His experience, his leadership presence, everything he brings to us, one of the understated things is how he’s quick and efficient for us in all three zones. It’s about being able to move the puck, so it’s important to get him back up to speed here.” And get him moving. ” — Dave McCarthy
