The Washington Capitals roster situation remains fluid as multiple players are recovering from injury or biding their time to come out of COVID-19 protocols.

Monday morning, the team made its latest set of moves as they sent forwards Brett Leason and Beck Malenstyn down to their AHL affiliate, Hershey Bears.

NEWS | The Washington Capitals have re-assigned forwards Brett Leason and Beck Malenstyn to the Hershey Bears#ALLCAPS | @FTX_Official https://t.co/adU45cUFTq

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 20, 2021

Leason has played in 22 games for the Capitals this season, scoring three goals and tallying six total points. Malenstyn has played in 12 games at the NHL level, scoring once. Neither player is waiver eligible so they will report straight to the Bears.

This is likely good news when it comes to Tom Wilson. The burly forward was placed on injured reserve yesterday but retroactive to December 10 meaning he can return whenever the team deems him fit. Wilson has been skating with the team at recent morning skates and practices and it appears via these moves that he is ready to make a full return to the lineup.

The Capitals also activated Garnet Hathaway from COVID-19 protocol when they placed Wilson on injured reserve and against the Kings he got in his first game since December 4.

Recent Hershey recall, Joe Snively makes it 11 healthy forwards on the current roster assuming Wilson does indeed make his way back for Tuesday’s soiree with the Philadelphia Flyers.

That means an additional move may be on its way or this could all just be a paper transaction to save money and these two will be right back up for tomorrow’s game.

Edit (10:59 AM): According to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, forward Michael Sgarbossa has been removed from COVID protocols due to a false positive test. That now gives the Capitals a healthy 12 forwards with our Tom Wilson assumption.

More from the Capitals:

Capitals Re-assign Forwards Brett Leason and Beck Malenstyn to Hershey

The Washington Capitals have re-assigned forwards Brett Leason and Beck Malenstyn to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Leason, 22, made his NHL debut on Oct. 29 against the Arizona Coyotes and has recorded six points (3g, 3a) in 21 games with the Capitals this season. In addition, Leason has one goal in five games with Hershey. The Calgary, Alberta, native recorded 20 points (9g, 11a) in 33 games during the 2020-21 season with Hershey, including 13 points (5g, 8a) in his final 15 games. Leason surpassed his rookie point total of 14 (3g, 11a) set in 2019-20 in 17 fewer games in 2020-21, while also tripling his goal total. Leason ranked fourth on Hershey in goals and points and second in shots (74). Additionally, Leason was one of five skaters to appear in all 33 of Hershey’s games and was the only Hershey player to record a power play goal (1), a shorthanded goal (1) and a game-winning goal (2). The Capitals selected Leason with their second round pick, 56th overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Malenstyn, 23, has one goal in 11 games with the Capitals this season and three points (1g, 2a) in 15 games for Hershey. The 6’3″, 200-pound left wing made his NHL debut on Nov. 20, 2019 against the New York Rangers and has played in 14 career games for the Capitals. The Delta, British Columbia, native missed the 2020-21 season due to injury. In 135 career games with Hershey, Malenstyn has recorded 34 points (15g, 19a). Malenstyn was selected with the Capitals’ fifth round pick, 145th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Screenshot via NBC Sports Washington