Marcus Johansson is unlikely to play in the team’s back-to-back games this weekend, but Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said he’s “hopeful” the third-line center will travel with the team on its three-game road trip to Nashville, Minnesota and Dallas next week.
Trotz said he’d be surprised if Johansson practiced on Friday, and with the team playing matinee games on Saturday and Sunday, there won’t be any opportunities for Johansson to skate with them then. Trotz said Johansson could practice with the team on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, when Washington will be on the road.
Johansson suffered an upper-body injury about 12 minutes into the Capitals’ last game before the all-star break, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.