Capitals’ Hagelin Has Injury Unrelated To Eye, Out Long-Term

ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals forward Carl Hagelin has been making progress in informal skates, but he has faced another roadblock on his quest back.

The 34-year-old suffered an injury unrelated to his eye injury, per the Capitals. It is a lower-body injury that has been lingering for some time and was not suffered in training. He will be out indefinitely, per general manager Brian MacLellan.

Hagelin had been working to return from a ruptured choroid after taking a high stick under his tilted visor in March. That injury permanently took away part of his vision and altered his depth perception. However, after two surgeries and eye training, he was working his way back onto the ice.

The Swede recently upgraded from a powder blue non-contact jersey to a full contact sweater at informal skates and also upgraded to an oversized aviator visor. He was engaging in physical drills and full go, scoring goals and impressing.

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Hagelin played 53 games before his eye injury last season, dishing three goals and 11 assists for 14 points.

His teammates had been rallying around him as well.

“When I heard about the injury at first, I was like, ‘Oh my God…’ And then you kind of read the articles and stuff in the newspaper and you see, ‘Okay, he’s feeling a little bit better, but they’re still concerned.’ So seeing him out there, shoot some pucks, get some goals, skating very well as usual, it’s awesome,” teammate Hendrix Lapierre said of Hagelin.