During their broadcast of the Capitals-Sabres game on Sunday, NBC Sports Washington reported that both John Carlson and Anthony Mantha were accompanying the team on their current four-game road trip.

Al Koken noticed both players in Buffalo during the team’s dreadful 7-4 loss at KeyBank Center.

Mantha and Carlson are on the west coast road trip .. @MayHockeyNBCS weighs in on what their return would mean for Washington.@NBCSWashington | pic.twitter.com/HZHSqLe33P

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) February 26, 2023

“It’s a great sign that Carlson is back because this team just hasn’t been be the same without him,” NBC Sports Washington’s Alan May said. “He is so important to this team. I think it shows a lot of people… how valuable his 27 minutes he plays a game… is usually in the positive.”

Carlson has been out of the lineup following a frightening injury in the December 23 game versus the Winnipeg Jets, where he took a slap shot to the head. Since then, the Capitals have a 10-14-2 record. He is currently on long-term injured reserve, and has skated several times since the injury. NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reported that Carlson was “a ways away from returning.”

John Carlson (hit in head with shot) has been working with skating coach Wendy Marco prior to the Capitals’ practice today.

Capitals have said he will be reevaluated at end of the month to determine the next steps for him, but he’s still a ways away from returning.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) February 20, 2023

Mantha left partway through the Capitals’ February 21 game against the Red Wings and has missed the past three games with an upper-body injury. The Capitals placed Mantha on injured reserve on February 23rd, and he is eligible to return beginning with Wednesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

While it’s unknown when either player is expected to rejoin the lineup, their appearance on this four-game road trip offers a potentially promising sign towards their recovery. The team now has two days off before their next game in Anaheim on Wednesday. Their final game away from Capital One Arena will be on March 6 against the Los Angeles Kings.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB