The Capitals forward has skated just over 11 minutes so far this season.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The start of the 2024-25 season hasn't gone the best for Sonny Milano, and head coach Spencer Carbery is taking some of the responsibility as he looks to help him turn it around with the Washington Capitals.
Milano, who was a healthy scratch for 10 straight games following a rough go of it in the season opener, got back in the mix on Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes and will remain in the lineup on Wednesday against the Nashville Predators.
For Carbery, it's about giving the 28-year-old a "fair evaluation" and a chance to show what he can do with more ice time; he's totalled just over 11 minutes so far this season and skated just 5:37 against the Hurricanes.
"I thought he was okay in Carolina for the limited amount of minutes that he played and I didn't think it was a fair evaluation of him and for him to be penalized or judged upon on that game, I just didn't think was fair," Carbery said. "Part of that is on me, lack of opportunity, I take full responsibility for that, so that's something I can't hold against him. He can only do what he can do when he's out on the ice and I'm the person who puts him out in those situations."
That said, Milano will again slot in on the third line with Hendrix Lapierre and Andrew Mangiapane, while Jakub Vrana will sit out again as a healthy scratch.
As he returns to the lineup, Carbery is hoping to see a jump in his game, and for him to show more of what he did against Carolina.
"He did some good things in that game in the limited ice time that he got, so he deserves to play," Carbery said.
Washington hosts Nashville at 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena.