Capitals Insider

Tom Poti left tonight's game early in the second period with an upper-body injury. The Caps won't comment on the nature or extent of the ailment, other than to say that the defenseman is day to day.

Coach Bruce Boudreau said the Caps would likely need to recall someone from Hershey.

Boudreau also said he doesn't expect Alexander Semin to make tomorrow's road trip to Toronto.

Michal Neuvirth will make his season debut tonight at Verizon Center as the Caps look to win their second straight game and for the sixth time in their past seven contests. Carey Price, meanwhile, will get the nod for the Canadiens.

The Caps, as you know by now, are really banged up. They're so banged up, in fact, owner Ted Leonsis blogged about it earlier today:

No Alexander Semin; Mike Knuble; Boyd Gordon; Quintin Laing; Milan Jurcina; Shaone Morrisonn. Jose Theodore is out for a few days and, of course, Michael Nylander is deciding where he wants to play. It is funny. That is about $20 million in payroll not in the lineup.

With that said, here's what the Caps' lineup should look like:

Forwards
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fleischmann
Laich-Morrison-Clark
Steckel-Perreault-Fehr
Sloan-Beagle-Bradley

Defense
Schultz-Green
Poti-Carlson
Erskine-Pothier

Goalies
Neuvirth
Varlamov

I'll have more after the game.

Michal Neuvirth will make his first start of the season against the Canadiens tonight, Coach Bruce Boudreau said.

"He had a great training camp and then got hurt," Boudreau said. "We wanted to see him play."

The 21-year-old's last start in Washington was a 5-2 loss to Carolina March 3. Neuvirth will be backed up Semyon Varlamov.

With less than eight hours to go before his NHL debut, defenseman John Carlson stood in the dressing room at KCI this morning and joked about how he didn't get much sleep last night. But don't worry he said with a big smile, his relative lack of shut-eye won't be an issue on home ice tonight against the Montreal Canadiens.

"I'll try to get as much as I can today," the 19 year old said when asked if he planned to squeeze in a nap. "I'm just happy right now, but I'm sure I'll be nervous. I just want to go out there and play with confidence."

Carlson will be paired with Tom Poti, the most senior of the Caps' blueliners. Carlson, who grew up in New Jersey, said his father Richard, mother Angela and older brother Andrew will be in attendance.

"I always believed that [veterans] are a steadying influence," Coach Bruce Boudreau said of the decision to put him with Poti. "You get on the bench and instead of panicking together, one guy can say, 'Okay, calm it down, play the game.' ... We didn't bring him up here to play four minutes."

(John McDonnell/The Washington Post)

Defenseman John Carlson will be out to prove he's right where he belongs when he makes his NHL debut for the Capitals tonight against the Canadiens.

"It's always interesting when you see guys get their first taste and see how they react to a situation because some guys, they look like deer in the headlights," assistant coach Bob Woods said. "He looks like he's been here all year so far."

Tonight's matchup:

Montreal Canadiens (10-11)
Washington Capitals (13-4-4)
Verizon Center, 7 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: 820 AM, 1500 AM

Now that six Washington Capitals are nursing injuries with a four-games-in-six-nights stretch set to begin tomorrow at home against Montreal, the big story of the day at KCI was the re-appearance of 2008 first-round pick John Carlson, called up from Hershey last night thanks to the bumps and bruises along the Capitals' blue line.

The 19-year-old made an impression on the organization when he made his professional debut last spring during the Bears' Calder Cup run, and followed it up by making himself a tough cut during this year's training camp. Carlson, listed at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, has 10 points and is tied for the team lead with a +14 rating through 17 games with the Bears this season.

Carlson will likely be paired with Tom Poti when he plays his first NHL game tomorrow night, but Coach Bruce Boudreau wants to make sure Carlson -- and fans -- don't put too much stock into one game.

"It's not gonna make his career or break his career," said Boudreau. "If he's horrible, it's gonna make no difference. We still think the world of him. If he's great, we still think he's a first-year guy who has played one game. So I hope he doesn't lose any sleep over this."

With defensemen Milan Jurcina and Shaone Morrisonn nicked up, the Capitals have recalled first-round pick John Carlson from Hershey. He's here at Kettler skating with Tom Poti during beginning-of-practice drills.

How big of a deal is this? Well, owner Ted Leonsis has joined General Manager George McPhee in the management box perched above the ice here in Arlington for a bit. He's not usually a fixture at practice.

Jurcina, Morrisonn (who was on the ice for a few minutes during warmups, but then left), Alexander Semin and Boyd Gordon are all not practicing today.

(Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Update: The Caps have recalled defenseman John Carlson from Hershey. Both Milan Jurcina and Shaone Morrisonn are hurt and could be out for tomorrow's game against Montreal. More to come.

An MRI exam on Alexander Semin's right wrist did not reveal any structural damage, but the winger is listed as day to day (don't you love that term?) and GM George McPhee said it's unclear when he'll return.

"The wrist got sore [but] it's not from a blow or anything," McPhee said. "He just tweaked it."

Alex Ovechkin returned to the lineup Tuesday and helped the Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers, but with Semin sidelined, they are now without four forwards from the opening night roster. Mike Knuble (broken finger), Boyd Gordon (sore back) and Quintin Laing (broken jaw) are also out.

Semin, who is listed as day to day, is believed to have been injured when he was hit by a Florida player as he unleashed a wrist shot Nov. 6. He played through the injury because the Capitals were already without Ovechkin, their leading scorer.

Mark Giannotto is stepping in for Tarik today at practice and will have some updates in a bit. Until then, a few morning links:

Alexander Semin arrived at KCI after his teammates practiced wearing a new brace on his right wrist (the type with Velcro straps on it).

An MRI revealed nothing serious, GM George McPhee said. But the Caps' second-most dangerous goal scorer might be forced to miss this weekend's games against Montreal and Toronto, McPhee conceded.

"It's not from a blow or anything," McPhee said. "He just tweaked it. He's day to day and will be ready to go when he's ready to go."

Tarik's running to talk to GMGM, so here are a few updates via Twitter:

* Jose Theodore is on the ice for practice after missing yesterday's game for family reasons.

* Many players are taking their option not to skate today, including Alexander Semin, who missed last night's game with a wrist injury.

* No update on Alexander Semin's status yet. Hope to have one soon. He just walked back into KCI, presumably from doctor's office.

* Coach Bruce Boudreau said Sean Avery talked trash to him for the entire warmup last night at MSG. The comments were mostly about BB's book.

* Defenseman Milan Jurcina (lower body) skated on his own this morning. So he's making progress.

* Quintin Laing had plates inserted into his jaw last night in NYC. Bruce Boudreau hopes he'll be back sooner than expected.

* Chris Clark on Quintin Laing: "It's like he plays the game with someone else's body."

* Alexander Semin has been spotted wearing a brace (the kind with velcro straps) on his right wrist.