Mike Green heads list of Caps' players returning from injury

Adam Oates will have his moving target back on the ice when the Washington Capitals return from the Olympic break.

Defenseman Mike Green, he of immense offensive skill and glass jaw, and therefore a much sought-after target by the opposition, has been cleared for contact after passing his neuropsychological test - the last step on the concussion protocol.  Green has been sidelined since doing a face plant on the end board glass at Columbus on January 30th.

"I feel good. The break couldn't come at a better time," Green said. "It's just a matter of skating here, I didn't skate much before."

Green sat out the final five games before the Olympic break with concussion-like symptoms, though the Caps went 3-1-1 in those games and has closed to within two points of the floundering Detroit Red Wings for the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

“I would say that all the guys need the rest,” Oates commented on Friday. “But for guys who are a little banged up for sure, get a chance to heal, maybe do some weight work and get stronger.”

Included on the list of banged up players with Green are the hot-headed centerman Mikhail Grabovski, who has missed eight straight since injuring an ankle against New Jersey, whom Oates said "seems fine", and defenseman Jack Hillen, who will not be ready anytime soon since breaking his right tibial plateau in the second game of the season.

“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.” Grabovski said before the break, also relaying the fact that he wishes to get a shot or two in on Devils' defenseman Bryce Salvador, whom Grabovski blames for his injury.

“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 the Belarusian, who will get his chance on April 4th at New Jersey.

The only real question with the Capitals when they return to the ice is whether or not star forward Alex Ovechkin will be in the lineup, or if he will even be in the United States at that point as he is still in Sochi at his father's bedside while the elder Ovechkin recovers from a heart attack suffered last Sunday.

General Manager George McPhee reported that he told Ovechkin to "stay as long as necessary with your dad." and that he's not banking on the league's leading goal scorer to be back in time for Thursday's game at Florida. 

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/mike-green-heads-list-of-caps-players.html#.UwkeOoUcq58