ARLINGTON, VA — The Washington Capitals will continue to go without the services of Sonny Milano as they head out west this weekend. Milano, who has missed the Capitals’ last three contests with an upper-body injury, will not travel with the team on their three-game road trip against the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, and Utah Hockey Club.
Head coach Spencer Carbery did not offer a timeline on Milano’s return, but confirmed that he was out week-to-week.
“No update right now,” he said of Milano’s status. “I would say week-to-week.”
Milano sustained the injury November 6 against the Nashville Predators. Though he did not appear injured during the game, he drew an interference penalty on Nashville’s Jeremy Lauzon in the first period and his linemates took shifts without him in the final 10 minutes of the third.
The injury came just as Milano was working his way back into the lineup. After a mediocre performance in the preseason, Milano played in the Capitals’ home opener before spending nine games as a healthy scratch, sitting out in favor of Jakob Vrana. Milano finally drew back into the lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 2, but played just two games before injury sidelined him once again.
“I feel terrible for Sonny,” Carbery said. “It’s not the start to the season that he probably drew up in his mind, and neither did we as a coaching staff, myself. It sucks. Sucks for him to be out of the lineup and now to be battling injury and trying to get back in.
“It’s just been a tough start for him. So you always feel bad when a player hasn’t been able to do the things that they envisioned happening, and frankly [that], as a coach, I envisioned for him happening.”
Milano has not practiced with the Capitals since and was placed on injured reserve on November 9.
