...so it should come as no surprise to anyone that Grabovski wanted so very badly to be on the ice on Saturday night as his Washington Capitals hosted the New Jersey Devils - a Devils team that employs Bryce Salvador as a defenseman, the same Bryce Salvador that delivered the hit that resulted in an ankle injury for which Grabovski has now missed eight consecutive games.
“I want to come back and I want to play against this D who make this hit to me. It was just so brutal,” said Grabovski in his own unique way. “I need to be stronger and be ready for defenseman that can play behind like this and find a different play, spot where nobody can hurt me and I can score goals.”
Translation: Grabovski wants a piece of Salvador.
He'll get his chance, but not until April 4th, a full six weeks after the 30 year old is expected to return from a sprained left ankle - and hopefully, his team will be in the thick of a playoff race.
“Disappointed because we don’t have the best time of the year, our team. I’m more disappointed I have injury in this moment,” Grabovski added, “But maybe that’s good and I can rest and see everything from different perspective.”
The Olympic break is sort of a mixed bag for the Capitals. On one hand, Grabovski plans on plenty of rest and should be ready to return once the Sochi Games have concluded, so the break is good in that regard - but also they are a pretty warm 4-2-1 since their second line center hit the skids, though mostly because they're in the midst of a soft part in their schedule...
...which gets infinitely more difficult when the league picks up where they left off toward the end of February - in fact, the Capitals may have the most difficult stretch run of any team in hockey:
The Bruins three times - twice in Boston - the Penguins twice and then the NHL's version of Murderer's Row, the three game swing through California to take on the Ducks, Kings and Sharks before they even see the Devils again, then end the season at St. Louis and Carolina before hosting the Blackhawks and Lightning.
Needless to say, it's all hands on deck for the Caps, and they are counting on Grabovski's contributions - which have been decent thus far in his first year with Washington, finding twine a dozen times and helping on 21 others in 49 games played, and is one of just a handful of Caps that have earned a plus-rating on the season.
http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/caps-grabovski-anxious-to-hit-ice-among.html#.Uvhi87Qcq58
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