Capitals defenseman John Carlson will miss the next three to four weeks due to injury.

“He had a procedure just to take care of a lingering thing he’s had for a long time,” head coach Barry Troz said on Saturday.

Carlson, who missed all of January to injury, did not play in Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. On his current recovery timeline, Carlson will return to action in late March.

Carlson was originally injured at the end of December. Upon returning to the lineup on January 27, Carlson’s play was noticeably off.

Carlson ranks second on the team in time on ice, about 30 seconds behind Matt Niskanen. Carlson leads the D corps in points with 31.

Carlson’s injury might add context to recent events, specifically the trade for depth defenseman Mike Weber and the placement of Brooks Laich on waivers earlier today.

Weber, initially thought to be a supplemental piece, is able to step into the lineup immediately to ease the defensive load. Laich’s waiving, meanwhile, will provide cap relief only if he’s sent down, which may not happen right away. If Carlson is placed on long-term injured reserve before Sunday’s game, which is likely, the team stands to gain enough cap relief to activate Jay Beagle even if Laich remains on the roster tomorrow.

There’s more to be learned about MacLellan’s plan, but in short, the Caps have options.

Additional reporting by Chris Gordon.