Capitals provide injury updates for a slew of players

The Washington Capitals have shared a slew of injury updates. Anthony Mantha, Joel Edmundson, and Trevor van Riemsdyk will all miss the team’s upcoming two-game road trip, while Nic Dowd’s availability is to be determined.

Mantha is facing an upper-body injury after taking a shot to the ear on Wednesday. Dowd and Edmundson (hand) are also listed with upper-body injuries, while van Riemsdyk has a lower-body injury.

Mantha and van Riemsdyk have both appeared in 10 games for the Capitals this season. Mantha has scored three goals and four points while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time. He’s been the focus of a handful of conversations through the early season, facing a healthy scratching earlier in the year and continuing to appear in trade rumors. Mantha is in his third full season in Washington, where he’s totaled 62 points in 128 games. van Riemsdyk is also in his fourth year with the club, although he’s managed to carve out a bit more of a role with the club. The 32-year-old defenseman only has one point this season but recorded a career-high 23 points in 75 games last year. He’s continuing to serve in his modest role with the club this season, averaging 17 minutes of ice time.

Dowd has only played two games this year, while Edmundson has yet to make his Capitals debut, as both players are dealing with nagging ailments.

Other injury notes from around the league:

• New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert declared Bo Horvat a game-time decision for the team’s Thursday night game against the Boston Bruins. He’s facing a lower-body injury after blocking a shot off his ankle in the team’s Saturday matchup against Carolina. The 28-year-old has nine points through 10 games this season.
• Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery shared that Derek Forbort is “probable” to play the Islanders. He is also battling a lower-body injury. Montgomery said that the team will use warmups as the indicator of if Forbort can play.
• Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch has been announced as day-to-day, with the Sabres hopeful that he can play in their Friday bout with Minnesota. He missed practice on Thursday with an upper-body injury. Top draft pick Matthew Savoie took line rushes with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner in Tuch’s place.