Jack Hillen (upper body) didn't skate on Thursday. Coach Adam Oates said Hillen was not undergoing concussion protocol testing, which is a good sign. He might be available to play on Saturday. "Just sore from the hit," Oates said referring to Hillen's collision with teammate Alex Ovechkin. "Because we have a couple of days we told him to take another day off."

Jack Hillen was hurt during an open-ice collision with teammate Alex Ovechkin in the third period of Tuesday's game. Hillen was able to leave the ice on his own strength, but it also reportedly looked like he had initially lost consciousness. The Washington Capitals were in the process of evaluating him after the game.

Jack Hillen has been called up from his AHL conditioning stint. He hasn't played since Oct. 3 because of a broken leg, but he's ready to return now. Hillen will probably fill in for Dmitry Orlov, who has been suspended for Washington's next two games.

Jack Hillen (leg) had a pair of assists in a rehab game for the Hershey Bears. Hillen suffered a broken leg on October 3 and played for the first time on Tuesday. He had a bad limp after the game but was much better on Sunday. "I feel a lot better after this game than I did the first game," Hillen said. "The first game [on Tuesday] I was limping pretty bad after, and now this one I feel a lot better. We'll see how I feel when I get home. The next morning is the key. If I feel better [Monday] I should be good to go." The Capitals play again on Wednesday and if all goes well, Hillen could be back in a Washington uniform.

Jack Hillen (knee) is back with the Capitals after participating in a conditioning game with AHL Hershey on Tuesday. Hillen thinks he's almost ready to play for Washington, but doesn't think he'll return on Thursday. Capitals coach Adam Oates sounded more optimistic though. "We'll see how he feels in the morning," Oates said. "He's got to be ready to play. If he can play, he'll play. Obviously, we've got to listen to the player, but [Thursday] morning he may wake up and say, 'Wow, I feel better than I thought I would.'" Not counting the conditioning game, Hillen hasn't played since Oct. 3.

Jack Hillen (knee) will head to AHL Hershey on a conditioning stint. Hillen hasn't played since Oct. 3 because of a fractured right tibial plateau. Getting him back will be a nice boost for the Capitals as they fight for a playoff spot, but we can't recommend picking him up in standard leagues.

Jack Hillen (knee) is participating in practices, but he's apparently still walking with a limp. He has been out of action since Oct. 3 because of a fractured right tibial plateau. Hillen is expected to take part in battle drills soon.

Jack Hillen, who has been out of action since October 3 with a fractured left tibial plateau, skated with his teammates in practice for the first time. Hillen hopes to return before the end of the season. "The X-rays look good, we've taken extra scans and everything is going pretty well. It's just tough to put a timeline on this type of injury," Hillen said. "I've got to keep working, keep skating. Every single time I skate I feel like I make improvements somewhere, which is a good thing. I'm happy with where I'm at, but I have pain every time I skate." There is no timetable for his return.

Jack Hillen (knee) skated a bit on Wednesday. Hillen has been sidelined since Oct. 3. "It's actually better than I thought it would be," Hillen said. "It's a first step." He's still not guaranteed to return before the end of the 2013-14 campaign.

Jack Hillen (knee) has been placed on Washington's long-term injured reserve list. He is projected to miss four to six months after suffering a fractured left tibial plateau. Hillen was injured in the team's second game of the season.