Capitals’ Desharnais Out 4-6 Weeks After Appendectomy

Washington Capitals defenseman Vincent Desharnais is expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing an appendectomy, an unexpected setback in his first season with the team. Through nine games, he had three assists and was averaging about 19 minutes of ice time, including a significant role on the penalty kill. His absence leaves a gap on Washington’s defense, prompting the team to shuffle its pairings and consider adding another defenseman while he recovers.