Capitals’ Tom Wilson listed as day-to-day with lower-body injury

Crisis averted for the Washington Capitals and Team Canada.

When speaking to the media, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery announced that forward Tom Wilson will not be in the lineup on Monday night, when the team hosts the Anaheim Ducks, and is considered day-to-day.

Wilson suffered a lower-body injury this past Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Team Canada selection was hurt when Blackhawks’ defender Connor Murphy delivered a reverse hit on Wilson, with the Capitals’ winger falling awkwardly and looking to have injured his ankle. The 31-year-old went to the locker room and did not return. He finished the night with two hits in 5:55 of ice time, while the Capitals ended up losing to the Hawks, 3-2, in a shootout.

The optimistic news is welcomed for both the Capitals and Hockey Canada. The Toronto native was named to the men’s Olympic roster this past week, marking the first time since the 2011 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge that he will represent his country in some manner.

Wilson was added to the roster as someone who’s expected to provide physical play while chiming in on the scoring side of things from time to time. On what’s going to be a smaller ice surface in Milan, the veteran winger could be one of Canada’s x-factors in the tournament.

Even on a Washington team that features captain Alex Ovechkin, Wilson has been carrying the offensive load thus far. In 41 games, Wilson has 22 goals and 20 assists for 42 points and 59 penalty minutes, leading the Capitals in both goals and points. He had registered eight points across three games prior to getting hurt against Chicago.

The Capitals (21-15-6) sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division, hanging on to the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.