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Laich’s status for Caps opener up in the air

Brooks Laich

Washington Capitals’ Brooks Laich waits to talk with reporters at the Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, May 15, 2013. The Capitals were eliminated in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs by the New York Rangers. The Capitals have had six consecutive playoff appearances and have failed to get past the second round. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

AP

Brooks Laich wants to be in the Capitals opening night lineup, it’s just a question of whether his hip will let it happen.

Thanks to a hip flexor problem, Laich has missed plenty of time during Washington’s training camp. As coach Adam Oates tells Katie Carrera of The Washington Post, he’s hoping he can play against Chicago on Tuesday.

“No decision [for Saturday],” Oates said. “One skate, I don’t know. I think Tuesday makes more sense but we’ll see.”

Laich is key to the Capitals’ success and whether he’s playing center or on Mikhail Grabovski’s left wing, he provides a strong defensive presence as well as some goal scoring abilities. They’ve gone without Laich before in the past, but that’s not an optimal situation for them.

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