Capitals Injury Update: Orlov To Miss 12th Straight Game

The Washington Capitals will continue to be without the services of defenseman Dmitry Orlov.

Per head coach Peter Laviolette, Orlov will miss his 12th straight game on Saturday as he continues to deal with a lower-body injury. Washington faces the Calgary Flames at 10 p.m. ET.

The 31-year-old blueliner did take part in the team’s optional morning skate and joined the team in Seattle midway through the six-game road swing. He remains on the injured reserve.

Orlov hasn’t played since Nov. 5 against the Arizona Coyotes, where he left the game early while dealing with his lower-body ailment. It has left Washington without a key piece of the puzzle on the blue line, and Matt Irwin has been his understudy over this stretch with No. 9 out of the picture.

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Through 13 games this season, Orlov has five assists and a +/- of plus-3. This is a contract year for the Russian, who will become an unrestricted free agent in July.

In addition to Orlov, the Capitals are still missing Nicklas Backstrom (hip resurfacing surgery), Tom Wilson (ACL surgery) and Beck Malenstyn (broken finger), while Connor Brown (ACL surgery) and Carl Hagelin (hip surgery) are likely out for the remainder of the season. T.J. Oshie recently returned from the IR, as did John Carlson.

Backstrom and Wilson did not make the road trip, but both have been skating. Backstrom has participated in a couple of morning skates with the club while wearing a non-contact jersey. Wilson has yet to skate with the team but is skating on his own. His original timeline has him projected to return in late December or early January, though that remains up in the air given he hasn’t skated with the club yet.