Caps’ Wideman hospitalized with leg hematoma

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Dennis Wideman

Story Topics

• Sports
• Dennis Wideman
• Mike Knuble
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Bob Mckenzie

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When Dennis Wideman left Tuesday night’s game with a lower-body injury, he was originally called “day-to-day.” By Thursday, the Capitals downgraded the puck-moving defenseman to “week-to-week,” and now it’s obvious why.

Wideman is in a local hospital with hematoma in his right leg, players confirmed in the locker room after Washington’s overtime victory against the Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

“I think we’re all kinda surprised what kind of injury it turned into,” winger Mike Knuble said. “He could be gone a couple weeks, he could be gone a lot longer.”

Knuble later told reporters that Wideman had been sending photos of his leg to teammates. TSN’s Bob McKenzie was first to report that the defenseman was hospitalized with the injury, which is a blood bruise.

“It’s happened to everybody. Everybody’s got injuries,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We don’t want anybody else to get hurt, but whatever it is I’ve been on a lot of winning teams and you had to fight more guys being out than this. We’ll take it as it comes.”

The TSN report said Wideman could be out indefinitely. No one denied that report and Knuble seemed to verify it with his comments.

Players didn’t know which D.C. hospital their teammate was in, or they at least weren’t saying so publicly. But they acknowledged he was hospitalized. The Caps offered no official comment, with a team spokesman saying via text message that Wideman was still “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury.

“Anytime you got a guy down, you wanna win for him,” said Jason Chimera, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime. “He’s been a really good pickup for us, and hopefully he’s back sooner than later.”

Said Jason Arnott: “That’s part of the game. You’re gonna lose guys with injuries, and you hope and cross your fingers that they come back real quick. It just means other guys have to step up, especially on the back end.”

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