The Washington Capitals announced Tuesday defenseman Michal Kempny will miss 4-6 months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn left hamstring.
That timeline means Kempny will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs and might not be ready for the start of the 2019-20 season next October.
Kempny was injured in the Capitals’ March 20 game during a fight with Cedric Paquette of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kempny fell awkwardly to the ice while Paquette rained punches on him.
He needed to be helped off the ice and hasn’t played or practiced since.
Without Kempny available, Washington has moved Christian Djoos up to Kempny’s spot on the top pairing with John Carlson. Fellow defenseman Nick Jensen, whom Washington acquired in February, also figures to stay in the top six blueliners going forward.
The Capitals, who lead the Metropolitan Division, have three games remaining in the regular season. The playoffs begin next week.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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