Caps ship Alzner, two others back to Hershey
Turns out Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin will be the team’s lone representative at this weekend’s NHL All Star Game in Montreal after all.
Forward Nicklas Backstrom was supposed to participate in the NHL’s YoungStars event, a 3-on-3 exhibition game set for Saturday night between a group of rookies and second-year pros. But Backstrom has instead decided to skip the event, which he participated in last season. He was replaced by St. Louis forward David Perron.
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“This year I felt like it made more sense for me to give someone else that opportunity and use this time to rest and prepare for the second half of the season,” said Backstrom, who leads Washington in assists with 36 and also has 12 goals, in a statement. “I can assure Caps fans that I’m not injured and will be ready to go [Tuesday].”
Meanwhile, with the NHL off through the weekend for its All-Star break, the Caps have sent rookie defenseman Karl Alzner back to AHL affiliate Hershey.
Alzner, 20, will play for the Bears in their two home games this weekend. His return next week depends on the health status of defensemen Tom Poti (groin) and Shaone Morrisonn (lower-body injury).
The Caps (30-15-3, 63 points) next play on Tuesday at Boston (33-8-5, 71 points) and Poti is eligible to return from the Long Term Injured Reserve list. Alzner, the fifth overall selection in the 2007 draft, has been a steady performer on the blueline since making his debut on Nov. 26. But the Caps are up against the league’s salary-cap ceiling and can’t accommodate Alzner’s $1.2 million salary when Poti’s $3.5 million salary returns to the books.
The Caps also returned goalie Daren Machesney and defensemen Bryan Helmer to Hershey. Machesney could return if backup goalie Brent Johnson (undisclosed injury) is not ready to play against the Bruins on Tuesday.
