No stranger to injuries, it only took 10 minutes for Capitals center Brooks Laich to suffer one during the first on-ice session of this season’s training camp.
From CSNWashington.com:
Sidelined for all but nine games last season with groin-related issues that required a procedure midway through the season, Laich skated on a line with center Chandler Stephenson and right wing Troy Brouwer before removing himself from the ice.
A team spokesperson said Laich, 30, had suffered a lower-body injury unrelated to the groin problems that plagued him last season.
In July, it sounded like Laich would be the Caps’ second-line center for 2013-14; however, the club signed Mikhail Grabovski in August, giving them more depth at that all-important position.
Grabovski, by the way, wasn’t at camp today; he’s still stuck in Toronto with visa issues.
Update (11:45 a.m. ET):
#CapitalsTalk Brooks Laich says his injury is left hip flexor. Tweaked it on Thursday, followed by acupuncture. Tweaked again today.
— Chuck Gormley (@CharlesAGormley) September 12, 2013
Laich said the soft ice at Kettler may have contributed to his injury. He said the ice he skated on back home in Saskachewan is much harder.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) September 12, 2013
Update: (12:45 p.m. ET):
From NBC Washington.com:
“The other side of my body, the other thing I went through last year is 100 percent,” Laich said. “I have no inhibition, fear. I have full power, full flexibility, stride everything. I was feeling great as of one week ago at 100 percent and to have this come on -- it’s better now I guess than at the start of the season, but we’ll take care of it now and hopefully get over it very quickly and have some exhibition games and practices very soon.”