Capitals Notebook: New Bottom-6 As Aube-Kubel Joins, Injury Updates

ARLINGTON, V.A. — As the Washington Capitals took the ice for practice, another new face joined the group, as Nicolas Aube-Kubel skated with the team for the first time after arriving in D.C. the same morning. However, the team also got some more tough news on the injury front.

Dmitry Orlov did not take part in the skate as he deals with a lower-body injury. Per head coach Peter Laviolette said Orlov is day-to-day after sustaining the injury in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Meanwhile, John Carlson, who is also dealing with a lower-body injury, took part in his second straight practice. However, he was in a blue no-contact sweater.

It’s not great news for the banged-up Capitals, whose injured list is now at eight skaters with Orlov, Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie, Connor Brown, Carl Hagelin and Beck Malenstyn all on the shelf.

Aube-Kubel, meanwhile, got right into the action following his claim from the Toronto Maple Leafs, slotting in on the fourth line to operate with Nic Dowd and Garnet Hathaway, while it looked like Aliaksei Protas was on a line with Lars Eller and Anthony Mantha. On the forward lines, it appeared that Connor McMichael and Joe Snively were the extras.

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There were some other tweaks too, and with the injuries piling up on the blue line, the defensive pairings look quite different ahead of Monday’s matchup with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

Here are what the line combinations looked like:

Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Conor Sheary

Sonny Milano-Dylan Strome-Marcus Johansson

Aliaksei Protas-Lars Eller-Anthony Mantha

Nicolas Aube-Kubel-Nic Dowd-Garnet Hathaway

Erik Gustafsson-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Martin Fehervary-Nick Jensen

Lucas Johansen-Matt Irwin

Washington is eager to turn things around — and fast — after dropping its fourth straight game on Saturday and blowing another lead. The Capitals have stressed the need to “come together” amid the adversity and are also placing emphasis on a consistent 60-minute effort night in and night out.

After the skate, the Capitals took the time to skate with Hockey Fights Cancer kids, and Backstrom, Wilson, Hagelin, Oshie and Carlson all made cameos to spend time with the kids and families. Head coach Peter Laviolette also took part in “Coaches’ Day” to speak to local area hockey coaches.