Carlson (upper body) is set to play against Carolina on Thursday.
Carlson was a game-time decision after missing the Capitals' past three matches. He has six goals and 23 points in 26 appearances in 2025-26. Dylan McIlrath is expected to be a healthy scratch Thursday due to Carlson's return.
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Capitals' John Carlson: Game-time decision Thursday
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Carlson (upper body) will be a game-time decision versus Carolina on Thursday, per Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network.
Carlson has missed the last three games with the injury. He has six goals and 17 assists, including five helpers on the power play, across 26 appearances this season. If Carlson is unable to go, look for Dylan McIlrath or Declan Chisholm to enter the lineup.
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Capitals' Ryan Leonard: Out 3-4 weeks
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The Capitals announced Thursday that Leonard (shoulder) should miss 3-4 weeks.
Leonard absorbed a huge hit, courtesy of Jacob Trouba on Dec. 5 in Anaheim. Leonard has seven goals and 11 assists across 29 contests this season.
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Capitals' Logan Thompson: Starting Thursday
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Thompson will defend the home goal versus Carolina on Thursday, according to Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.
Thompson has been outstanding over his last six starts, going 5-0-1 with a 1.32 GAA and a .955 save percentage. The 28-year-old netminder is 13-6-2 with one shutout, a 1.96 GAA and a .925 save percentage over 21 starts this season. The Hurricanes are tied for fifth in NHL scoring, generating 3.34 goals per game.
Head coach Spencer Carbery said Wednesday that Carlson (upper body) could play in Thursday's game against the Hurricanes, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Carlson has missed the last three games due to his upper-body injury, but he'll be in the mix to suit up in Thursday's home game. The Capitals will presumably monitor how he feels during and after Thursday's morning skate, and it wouldn't be surprising if he were a game-time decision. Over 26 appearances this season, Carlson has recorded six goals, 17 assists, 38 blocked shots, nine hits and six PIM while averaging 22:52 of ice time.
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Capitals' Clay Stevenson: Returned to minors
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Stevenson was assigned to AHL Hershey on Monday.
Washington brought up Garin Bjorklund from the minors in a corresponding move. Stevenson suited up as Logan Thompson's backup in Sunday's 2-0 win over Columbus. The 26-year-old Stevenson has a 7-4-0 record with a 2.54 GAA and a .913 save percentage over 11 AHL appearances this season.
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Capitals' Garin Bjorklund: Called up from minors
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Bjorklund was recalled from AHL Hershey on Monday.
Bjorklund will likely be a stand-in for Clay Stevenson, who was sent down in a corresponding move and will likely suit up for AHL Hershey on Wednesday. Still, it will be some valuable practice time at the NHL level for the 23-year-old Bjorklund. With the Bears this season, Bjorklund is 4-4-1 with an .895 save percentage and one shutout in nine appearances.
Protas scored an empty-net goal on two shots in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Blue Jackets.
Protas kept his point streak alive with the empty-netter. It's up to six games (four goals, two helpers), and he's gone plus-8 in that span. The 24-year-old forward continues to be an even-strength stud, racking up 18 of his 20 points at even strength -- he also has one assist each on the power play and while shorthanded. Protas has added 64 shots on net, 23 blocked shots and a plus-23 rating over 30 appearances this season.
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Capitals' Jakob Chychrun: Deposits goal in win
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Chychrun scored a goal on five shots in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Blue Jackets.
Chychrun tallied 50 seconds into the second period, and that goal held as the game-winner. He had been limited to one helper during the Capitals' four-game road trip that ended Friday in Anaheim, though he also went plus-6. Chychrun leads all NHL blueliners with 11 goals, and his 25 points rank sixth. He's been an all-around beast this year, adding 102 shots on net, 29 hits, 34 blocked shots, 31 PIM and a plus-24 rating over 30 appearances.
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Capitals' Logan Thompson: Dominant in 100th career win
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Thompson posted a 39-save shutout in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Blue Jackets.
Thompson bounced back from his shootout loss to the Ducks on Friday, collecting his first shutout of the year in the Capitals' return home. Thompson has allowed one goal or less in four of his last six outings. He's now 13-6-2 with a 1.96 GAA and a .925 save percentage through 21 starts this season. Sunday's effort was his 100th career win.
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Capitals' Brett Leason: Tallies twice in AHL win
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Leason scored two goals in AHL Hershey's 3-2 win over Lehigh Valley on Sunday.
Leason has been steady since rejoining the Capitals' organization in October. He debuted with Hershey on Nov. 14 and has earned four goals -- all within his last five games -- and five assists over 10 appearances for the Bears. Leason had 17 points in 62 regular-season outings with the Ducks last year, but he won't have an easy opportunity to get onto the Capitals' NHL roster this year.
Carlson (upper body) isn't in the lineup for Sunday's home matchup against Columbus, according to Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.
Carlson will miss his third game in a row, with his next chance to return to the lineup coming at home Thursday versus the Hurricanes. Due to his absence, Dylan McIlrath will suit up Sunday and skate next to Rasmus Sandin on the third pairing, while Martin Fehervary and Trevor van Riemsdyk will comprise Washington's No. 1 pairing.
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Capitals' John Carlson: Game-time decision
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Carlson (upper body) will be a game-time decision against Columbus on Sunday, according to Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.
Carlson was on the ice with the team's expected scratches Sunday morning, which may not bode well for his availability, but it doesn't necessarily rule out a return to the lineup. He has amassed six goals, 23 points, 59 shots on net and 38 blocked shots through 26 appearances this season. If Carlson plays following a two-game absence, Declan Chisholm will probably be a healthy scratch versus the Blue Jackets on Sunday.
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Capitals' Logan Thompson: Facing Blue Jackets
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Thompson will patrol the home crease against Columbus on Sunday, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.
Thompson's four-game winning streak ended in a 4-3 shootout loss to Anaheim on Friday. However, he performed well in the defeat while making 35 saves on 38 shots. Thompson has a 12-6-2 record this season with a 2.06 GAA and a .919 save percentage through 20 appearances. Columbus is tied for 12th in the league with 3.07 goals per game this campaign.
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Capitals' Clay Stevenson: Up with big club
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Stevenson has been recalled from AHL Hershey by the Capitals, the team announced Sunday.
A busy day of roster moves saw the placement of Charlie Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and Stevenson called up to take his place on the roster. The 26-year-old has put up good numbers with AHL Hershey on the year, going 7-4-0 with a 2.54 GAA and a .913 save percentage. Logan Thompson is Washington's starter and is playing great, so with no back-to-back games being played in the next week, it seems unlikely that Stevenson will get into a game if Lindgren's injury isn't long term.
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Capitals' Ryan Leonard: Shifts to IR
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Leonard (upper body) was moved to injured reserve Sunday.
Washington recalled Bogdan Trineyev from AHL Hershey in a corresponding move. Leonard will be out for an extended period of time, according to Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post, but it's unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup. Leonard has contributed seven goals, 18 points, 61 shots on net and 43 hits across 29 appearances this season.
Trineyev has been recalled from AHL Hershey by the Capitals, the team announced Sunday.
Trineyev was last sent back to the AHL on the same day he was called up Dec. 3, and now he's back up with the NHL club again. With Ryan Leonard (upper body) having been placed on injured reserve, the 23-year-old Trineyev has been selected to fill his roster spot. Trineyev has yet to make his NHL debut yet, and he'll likely just serve as forward depth unless another injury occurs up front for the Capitals.
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