Brooks Laich wants to be in the Capitals opening night lineup, it’s just a question of whether his hip will let it happen.
Thanks to a hip flexor problem, Laich has missed plenty of time during Washington’s training camp. As coach Adam Oates tells Katie Carrera of The Washington Post, he’s hoping he can play against Chicago on Tuesday.
“No decision [for Saturday],” Oates said. “One skate, I don’t know. I think Tuesday makes more sense but we’ll see.”
Laich is key to the Capitals’ success and whether he’s playing center or on Mikhail Grabovski’s left wing, he provides a strong defensive presence as well as some goal scoring abilities. They’ve gone without Laich before in the past, but that’s not an optimal situation for them.