Desharnais out 4-6 weeks for Capitals after appendectomy

Vincent Desharnais will be out 4-6 weeks for the Washington Capitals after having appendectomy surgery Thursday.

The 30-year-old, who had been skating on the second defense pair with Martin Fehervary, has three assists in nine games this season.

Selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round (No. 183) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Desharnais has 29 points (two goals, 27 assists) in 227 regular-season games with the Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks and Capitals and three assists in 28 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Logan Thompson was not on the ice for practice Friday because of a lower-body injury; forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois (illness) and Justin Sourdif (illness) each was on the ice for practice in a regular jersey.

The Capitals host the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSG-B).

NHL senior writer Tom Gulitti contributed to this report