Beloved Washington Capitals announcer Craig Laughlin revealed he was dealing with heart problems in January this year. The news shocked Caps fans who grew to love Laughlin as part of the iconic Joe and Locker announcing duo during broadcasts. Yet Laughlin promised to return. “I hope to be back by then, Joe, to enjoy the playoffs and a long run, the Great 8 Chase, the 50th anniversary. I’m going to battle my bu– off to return as soon as I can,” the 67-year-old said.

While many might have thought it was wishful thinking, Laughlin actually did it. He returned after heart surgery right on cue to call the play-by-play as the Gr8 Chase ended with Alex Ovechkin surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record. Yet disaster struck just as the veteran announcer seemed to have achieved his goal to call during the playoffs without a hitch. Just hours before Game 3 between the Capitals and the Habs, Laughlin dropped some terrible news.

“Hey #Caps fans. Unfortunately, I haven’t been feeling 100%. My cardiology and medical team have advised me to miss a few games,” Craig Laughlin said. Considering how the Washington Capitals were sitting on a 2-0 lead in the series, it’s needless to say that Laughlin feels devastated after suffering this setback. Moreover, the 67-year-old’s joy knew no bounds when he announced his return to Monumental Network.

“It’s been seven long weeks since my operation. I feel fantastic,” the play-by-play announcer said in his March 28 video on X. The fan favorite Washington Capitals announcer explained that lots of heart rehab and working out contributed to his quick comeback. “I’m energized, and I’m ready to get back in my seat next to Joe B.” added Laughlin.

But despite the heartbreak that the announcement of his break brings, fans shouldn’t forget that this is Craig Laughlin we are talking about.

While he didn’t want to stop announcing during the playoffs, he’s confident about rejoining his play-by-play partner soon. “I can’t wait to rejoin our @MonSportsNet broadcast team very soon. Go Caps!” added the Washington Capitals icon. On the other hand, it’s also safe to assume that announcing during Game 3 perhaps wouldn’t have been a great experience for Laughlin.

Another Washington Capitals star exited the playoffs

While Craig Laughlin said “Go Caps!” before singing off for now, the Capitals struggled to get going in Game 3. After dictating the first two games at home, the Caps drew first blood at Bell Center, too, thanks Connor McMichael’s goal. Then the Habs stuck with just 1 minute left in the first period, and it was all downhill from there.

The Montreal Canadiens took the lead in the second half and began dictating the pace of play. Despite Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun’s equalizers, the Habs just pulled ahead again. What’s more? Washington Capitals star Tom Wilson and Habs winger Josh Anderson’s heated argument turned into a massive brawl. Needless to say, announcing during such a stressful situation would’ve been far from ideal for Craig Laughlin.

Then came the blow, even bigger than losing the match 6-3. What blow, you ask? Dylan Strome’s accidental hit on his own goaltender, Logan Thompson. The Capitals forward tried his best to stop the decisive pass that led to the 5th goal for the Canadiens. Unfortunately, he couldn’t slam the break on time, taking Thompson down and twisting the netminder’s left knee.

The hit did massive damage to the Washington Capitals’ star goaltender. In fact, Thompson took several minutes to recover. The goaltender had to be helped off the ice after his leg buckled the moment he put some weight on it. So with less than 15 minutes left on the clock, Thompson exited Game 3 of the NHL playoffs. And as things stand, we don’t know when either Craig Laughlin or Logan Thompson will return.