Reirden: Michal Kempny suffered 'long-term injury' vs. Lightning

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Photo credit Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

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Michal Kempny suffered a "long-term" injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning last Wednesday, Capitals head coach Todd Reirden announced Monday.

Caps coach Todd Reirden says it's a "long-term injury" to defenseman Michal Kempny. Isn't ready to say for certain Kempny is done for playoffs, but it sure sounds like it.

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) March 25, 2019

The 28-year old defenseman left Wednesday's game after suffering a lower-body injury during a scuffle with Tampa Bay's Cedric Paquette, and has not played since. There is no timetable for his return. 

Vrana vs Gourde. Kempny injured. Things are getting out of hand. #CapsBolts pic.twitter.com/ZyrS5meusI

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) March 21, 2019

On with Grant & Danny Monday afternoon, NBC Sports Washington's JJ Regan was not optimistic Kempny will be back this season.

"It sounds like surgery's on the table," Regan said. "I would be surprised if we see him this season in the playoffs. I would be stunned by that."

"It's clearly a lower-body, it's somewhere on the leg. I don't know whether it's knee, ankle, I don't know the specifics there, but just that general area, those things carry a pretty long timetable. So I would be surprised if we see him in the playoffs."

Kempny had been playing well this season after helping the Caps hoist the Stanley Cup in 2018, tallying 25 points on six goals and 19 assists. 

But as for who could replace Kempny in Washington's top defensive pairing with John Carlson, Regan suggested Nick Jensen, who the Caps acquired in February ahead of the NHL's trade deadline.

"What complicates things is that (Jensen's) a right-shot defenseman, and Carlson's a right-shot defenseman as well," Regan told Paulsen and Rouhier. "So I don't know if we're gonna see a lot of Carlson and Jensen, but you might."

"At this point you have to go with what you have, so he's someone who definitely, definitely needs to step up."

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