Mantha out indefinitely after shoulder surgery originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Anthony Mantha has been declared out indefinitely after undergoing shoulder surgery, the Capitals announced Friday. The team announced earlier that he was placed on injured reserve and forward Aliaksei Protas had been recalled from Hershey.
Mantha collided with John Carlson in Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers, but continued playing his shift. He then tried to hit Anthony Duclair in the corner with his left shoulder, but appeared to miss and skated off favoring his left arm.
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Head coach Peter Laviolette said he was not sure if Mantha would go from injured reserve to long-term injured reserve. He also said there was no timetable for a possible return.
"Indefinite," Laviolette said. "There’s no idea of a timeline.”
With Mantha out, the Capitals are now without three top-six forwards with Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie both injured as well.
"We’re taking a hit from that type of a player that guys are on the power play and playing that top-6 so it’s not something that you like to see but our guys are gonna have to step up," Laviolette said.
The injuries will force the team to rely more on its prospect depth, including forward Hendrix Lapierre who Laviolette said would be back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Lapierre was a healthy scratch the last two games.
