Kempny travels with Capitals, but misses game in Nashville
Defenseman remains out with hamstring injury
Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny was not available for Thursday’s game against Nashville, according to coach Todd Reirden. Kempny, who has been recovering from a torn hamstring, has missed the first four games of the regular season, and the timetable for his return remains unclear.
Kempny, who was hurt in March and had surgery for the injury in April, is traveling with the team on its two-game swing to Nashville on Thursday and Dallas on Saturday, but Reirden was noncommittal about Kempny’s status.
“We’ll continue to take every day as it kind of plays itself out,” Reirden said. “And he is getting a ton of action in practice now and full-speed battle drills, and as he reacts
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Radio: positively, he is getting closer and closer to being added back in our lineup.”
Kempny, who was cleared for contact last week, said Wednesday he was a little “scared or worried” about competing in contact drills, but after going through a few practices, he said he feels a lot more comfortable. Kempny played in 71 games last season for Washington, with six goals and19 assists before his injury cut his season short.
“You know, a couple practices behind me with the contact, you know, with real paddles, I feel pretty good about it,” Kempny said. “Still need more practices and I’ll be ready to go … you know, feel a lot better on the ice, a lot more comfortable about everything. Just focusing on myself right now and getting myself ready.”