The Washington Capitals are getting some welcome reinforcements as they continue their swing through California. Nic Dowd has been activated from injured reserve and could be back in the lineup Wednesday night when the Caps face off against the San Jose Sharks.
Dowd’s return couldn’t come at a better time. The veteran center has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury, but he’s been skating with the team and traveled on this road trip, signaling he was close.
His last appearance came back on November 17 against the Kings, where he logged over 19 minutes of ice time - a solid workload that speaks to how much head coach Spencer Carbery trusts him in all situations. Through 19 games this season, Dowd has chipped in a goal and four assists with a plus-2 rating, but his impact goes beyond the stat sheet.
He’s a reliable presence down the middle, a key penalty killer, and a guy who can tilt the ice in the bottom six.
With Dowd healthy and ready to go, the Capitals have reassigned Bogdan Trineyev to Hershey. Trineyev was called up to provide depth during Dowd’s absence, but with the forward group trending toward full strength, the roster squeeze was inevitable.
Now, the question turns to how Carbery will shuffle his lines. The Capitals have been clicking of late, and it’s hard to imagine him messing too much with the top six.
Justin Sourdif has earned his spot with strong play, and Connor McMichael has been effective in his current role, so neither seems likely to be moved. That means the odd man out could be one of Sonny Milano or Hendrix Lapierre - both of whom have seen their minutes dip recently and don’t factor into the team’s special teams units.
Lapierre has been filling in as the fourth-line center during Dowd’s absence, but he’s also capable of playing on the wing. That versatility could keep him in the mix, but if Carbery wants to reestablish Dowd in his usual role, someone will have to sit.
The puck drops at 10 p.m. ET in San Jose, the second half of a back-to-back for Washington after a solid 3-1 win over the Kings on Tuesday. With Dowd potentially back in the fold, the Capitals will be looking to keep the momentum going and continue building chemistry as they navigate a busy stretch on the road.