Sonny Milano took a big step towards his injury recovery.
Washington Capitals winger Sonny Milano has been absent from the team's incredible run of success this season in large part due to injury. But in Wednesday's optional skate following a loss the night before the Calgary Flames, the team got good news as Milano switched from the light blue non contact jersey he's been wearing for quite sometime to a white regular contact jersey.
How we got here
Milano had skated for weeks in that light blue sweater and Wednesday was the first time he was able to participate in drills and take contact. The 28 year old has been out since Nov. 6 when he had an upper body injury against the Nashville Predators, sidelining him indefinitely from the lineup.
There hasn't been a timetable or update on his return during those last couple of months. Getting back for an optional is a good step forward but there are still a ways to go before he gets cleared by medical personnel to play. He has appeared in just three games for the Caps going without a point and posting a plus/minus of -3.
Even so, he was still an important part of the team last season as you can see in the clip below.
Milano could draw into the Hershey Bears lineup when healthy on a conditioning stint before being activated off the long term injured reserve. It might be the best move with the emergence of Ethen Frank fitting into the lineup and a college sophomore in Ryan Leonard potentially waiting in the wings. He could, key word in that could, sign a contract and join the team later in the spring.
There are just 24 games remaining in the regular season and a home game coming up on Thursday night at 7 p.m. against the St. Louis Blues on Monumental Sports Network as well as 106.7 The Fan and Caps Radio 24/7.
