Warning: This one isn't for the squeamish.

Tyler Seguin, who underwent surgery Friday for a 15 percent tear of his Achilles tendon, showed off the damage on Twitter on Friday afternoon. And, seriously, it's gross.

Related: Seguin injury could stick Stars with daunting 1st-round matchup

The Dallas Stars forward is expected to be out of action for three-to-four weeks, and based on the evidence - the gross evidence - below, the timeline makes sense.

I really hate when I get paper cuts pic.twitter.com/seOXmPP4gw

— Tyler Seguin (@tseguinofficial) March 18, 2016

You were warned.

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John Carlson's return is apparently imminent.

The Washington Capitals defenseman declared himself "pretty darn close" to making a return to the lineup, according to Mark Giannotto of The Washington Post.

Carlson took part in the morning skate Friday for the first time since having a procedure to repair a nagging injury on Feb. 27. He's eligible to be activated off long-term injured reserve for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Head coach Barry Trotz said there's no timetable for Carlson's return, and Trotz is still deciding whether to bring the blue-liner on Washington's upcoming three-game road trip.

Carlson suffered what the team called a lower-body injury in December, then returned about a month later for 13 games before missing the last nine following the undisclosed procedure.

"I felt better when I got on the ice than the last time, so that's obviously a huge positive," he said Friday.

"There were some trying times where it seems like you're never going to skate again and then as soon as you get on the ice, you get that excitement back. … It's exciting to feel good on the ice again and get ready for the rest of the year."

The 26-year-old has 31 points in 47 games and ranks second on the Capitals behind Matt Niskanen in average time-on-ice at 24:09.

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The Dallas Stars' road to a Central Division title got a whole lot tougher, as it was announced Friday that forward Tyler Seguin would miss three-to-four weeks after his right Achilles tendon was cut by the skate of defenseman Anton Stralman during Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Despite the major loss, general manager Jim Nill was just relieved the injury wasn't worse, as he gave an update to reporters.

"It's a 15-percent cut of the Achilles tendon, probably the best case scenario," Nill said, per Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. "They operated on him this morning, stitched him back up. He will be out 3-4 weeks and should be back for the playoffs. It's as good a case scenario as it could be considering how he got cut where he got cut."

Without the team's second-highest scorer, head coach Lindy Ruff will look for his depth forwards to step up as they have all season, helping the team net an NHL-best 233 goals in 72 games.

"We've got (Patrick) Sharp stepping back in. We lose one, we get one," Ruff said, as Sharp returned from a six-game absence Thursday. He added that the team has "good depth" with forwards Mattias Janmark, Travis Moen, and Brett Ritchie - who were all scratches Thursday - available to step in.

"I think we're fortunate that it is diagnosed what it is," Ruff said of Seguin's injury. "It shouldn't be as tough to come back from, but it will be a tough time of year to come back, I can tell you that. It'll be tough to catch up and get in playoff mode."

The Stars will take the ice without Seguin on Saturday against the New York Islanders, as they hope to remain in their current position atop the Western Conference standings.

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NEW YORK, N.Y. - The NHL suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde two games Friday for elbowing an opponent. VandeVelde elbowed Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews in the first period of a game Wednesday night. VandeVel...

Philadelphia Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde has been suspended two games for elbowing Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.

VandeVelde's out $7,661 due to the suspension. He'll miss games Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Monday against the New York Islanders.

The incident occurred in Philadelphia's win over the Blackhawks on Wednesday, and Toews stayed in the game, apparently suffering no ill effects from the elbow.

VandeVelde's suspension opens a lineup spot for Jakub Voracek, who has been injured and is a significant talent upgrade over VandeVelde.

— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPG) March 18, 2016

VandeVelde and Toews met after the game, according to the Courier-Post's Dave Isaac.

"(Toews) even sent me a text message saying, 'Don't worry about it. Everything is going to be OK,'" VandeVelde said.

The two players are friends, and VandeVelde added that Toews said he was "an honest player."

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Even without Tyler Seguin, the Dallas Stars have enough firepower to produce beyond the offensive standard for a contender.

Jamie Benn has been filling the net separate from his customary pivot of late. Jason Spezza suddenly cannot miss. A four-time 30-goal man in Patrick Sharp skated on the fourth line in Thursday's come-from-behind win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The problem is, the Stars aren't constructed like any other Stanley Cup hopeful.

Dallas announced Friday that Seguin, the team's second-leading scorer (and the league's third-leading point producer), underwent surgery to repair a slice to his Achilles tendon and will likely miss the remainder of the regular season.

Seguin's expected to be ready for the start of the playoffs, albeit perhaps slightly hindered. But his absence has significant implications, and over the next 10 games, will illuminate a titanic concern for the organization.

The Stars require the league's No. 1 offense to veil their inefficiencies on defense and an overpriced goaltending duo that, despite being designed to endure, is fading down the stretch and primed to be exposed without Seguin's point-per-game production.

With an .880 save percentage since the All-Star break, Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen are chiefly responsible for the NHL's sixth-most permeable defense, having conceded just seven goals fewer than the league-worst Calgary Flames.

Yet, despite allowing 3.6 goals per game and owning a slightly negative goal differential through February and March, Dallas managed 26 points from 22 games and a record above .500.

But what does that look like without Seguin and his contribution to every third goal?

The Stars remain two up on the St. Louis Blues in the Central Division, while the Chicago Blackhawks lurk five points back with a game in hand. But despite rising to the top of the Western Conference in 72 games, it's the final 10 that will decide whether the Stars clash with one of those juggernauts or instead meet one of the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, or Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs.

Without improved play in goal down the stretch, the team that rivals have been chasing all season could very well enter the tournament as an underdog.

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