Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky suffered a hand injury in Washington’s 6-3 win over the Red Wings last night at Verizon Center, but his prognosis is not all gloom-and-doom.
Coach Barry Trotz told reporters on Friday afternoon that the 22-year-old forward (11g, 18a in 52 games this season) will be out until mid-to-late March but does not need surgery.
Andre Burakovsky out until mid- to late- March with a hand injury, Barry Trotz said.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) February 10, 2017
Burakovsky doesn’t need surgery. Sanford gets “first crack” at that spot. Vrana is another candidate to come up and play there, Trotz said.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) February 10, 2017
As the Washington Post’s Neil Greenberg wrote in a piece yesterday, the Caps have had little to worry about on the injury front this year. Only 14 of the team’s staggeringly low 19 man-games lost to date have come from extended absences – T.J. Oshie’s upper-body (eight) and John Carlson’s lower-body injuries (six). Burakovsky’s affliction will likely add at least 12 to that number, and he could miss as many as 18.
That said, it should come as a bit of a relief to Caps fans that a potential long playoff run won’t be derailed by a member of its critical third line missing time or being short of 100 percent when the postseason arrives.