Washington Capitals forward Brooks Laich did not practice Monday with an apparent left-shoulder injury and will not join the team on its upcoming three-game road trip through western Canada.
"I think we're looking at probably the first game back from the trip [Oct. 29 against the Detroit Red Wings]," coach Barry Trotz said. "Not too serious but serious enough where I don't think he will be quite effective for us in the three games.
"It's not a six-week thing. I think it's a week to 10 days and he should be ready to roll."
Laich exited the Capitals' 2-1 shootout victory against the Florida Panthers on Saturday with roughly five minutes remaining in regulation after a shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Shawn Thornton.
Trotz classified the injury as "upper body" after the game, perhaps a somewhat comforting diagnosis considering Laich has missed 70 regular-season games in the past two seasons with a recurring groin injury.
Washington will place Laich on short-term injured reserve retroactive to Saturday for the time being. In his place, Jay Beagle, who missed the Capitals' first five games with an upper-body injury sustained during the preseason, will be activated from injured reserve and make his season debut against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old is expected to serve as the right wing on a line with Marcus Johansson and Andre Burakovsky, Laich's linemates for the past two games. Trotz, however, will shuffle his forward lines if necessary.
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"It's sort of ideal where Beags can play a number of positions," he said. "I put him out there [at practice] just to see how that might work and look. I've got Plan B in order if it's not working as well as I thought."
Following the game against the Oilers on Wednesday, the Capitals play their first back-to-back set of the season against the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks on Saturday and Sunday.
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