The Washington Capitals will be without both Ryan Leonard and Charlie Lindgren going forward, as they were both placed on injured reserve.
In response, the Capitals recalled forward Bogdan Trineyev and goaltender Clay Stevenson from AHL Hershey to replace the ailing players. The team is set to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.
Leonard, 20, is expected to miss “an extended period of time,” according to head coach Spencer Carbery. In Friday night’s 4-3 shootout loss to Anaheim, Leonard took a high hit from Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba.
According to multiple sources, Leonard will see doctors on Sunday, but will not be in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Leonard was having a stellar season with the Capitals before the hit. The 20-year-old forward had a four-game point streak going and was ranked fourth among rookies in scoring.
Trouba was not suspended for the hit, but Carbery has urged the NHL to take action to address head shots.
Trineyev, 23, has recorded 12 points, (6 goals, 6 assists) for Hershey this season. The forward ranks first on the Bears in plus-minus (+7), second in goals, and third in points.
Meanwhile, Lindgren, 31, went down with an upper-body injury before Friday night’s game in Anaheim. This led to practice goaltender and food critic Parker Milner taking his place as backup to Logan Thompson.
Lindgren last played on Dec. 3 and had posted a 5-3-1 record, a 2.90 goals-against average, and a .893 save percentage before his ailment.
Stevenson, 26, has a 7-4-0 record with a 2.54 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 11 games with Hershey this year. Among goaltenders with at least 10 games played, Stevenson ranks eighth in the AHL in save percentage.
