The Capitals have some tough choices to make after the break.

The Washington Capitals will enjoy one more day off before they get back to work after a holiday break, and the lineup figures to look different with a few new names expected to finally slot in.

First, Max Pacioretty is expected to draw back in shortly after the break. It's unclear if that means Wednesday or if that could happen when the team returns home for a Dec. 30 showdown against the Nashville Predators, but the 34-year-old has been working his way back from a second torn Achilles in a span of five months and is close to game action.

Not only that, but the team is also waiting on word regarding other injured forwards Sonny Milano and T.J. Oshie, who are dealing with respective upper and lower-body injuries. Milano has skated in a non-contact jersey, but Oshie has yet to take the ice since suffering his ailment, which happened before the Carolina Hurricanes game on Dec. 17.

On defense, the Capitals are set to sign defenseman Ethan Bear to a contract, and he is continuing his rehabilitation from offseason shoulder surgery. The 26-year-old blueliner is expected to bring more depth and further steadiness to the right side, while also bringing some offensive prowess to bolster the blue line.

With the team's current injuries piling up, there are three remaining roster spots, given Washington waived Lucas Johansen before the break and re-assigned call-ups Ivan Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre ahead of Christmas. When everyone's healthy, though, there will have to be an odd man out.

That appears to be Matthew Phillips. The 25-year-old had a strong showing in training camp to earn a roster spot and has had flashes of strong play when he gets time this season, but for the most part, he's become a healthy scratch and would benefit from more playing time with the top-ranked Hershey Bears, who are tearing up the AHL right now.

One could argue the same for Alex Alexeyev, who's been a regular healthy scratch after Joel Edmundson's return to the lineup.

However, the influx is up front and not on defense, as there's an excess of forwards while the team has carried eight defenders all year long. So, with one name to go down, it'd be No. 45.

Also, looking at risk alone, Alexeyev, a first-round pick with a lot of upside left at 24, could end up being claimed, putting a dent in the organization's blue-line depth. Phillips is less of a risk for D.C. in this sense, given he's been on waivers before.

When it comes to where those injured names slot in, it's tough to say, given the chemistry the lines have found with the Protas-McMichael-Mantha "McProMo" trio being among the most productive units in the league and the fourth line showcasing its defensive talent and serving as a solid identity line.

Considering that, Pacioretty would go on the second line (or third, depending on how you stack things up) left-wing alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov and, presumably, T.J. Oshie. Sonny Milano, who was in that spot, would likely have to battle or, could switch to his off wing if Oshie is still hurting.

It is unclear how severe Oshie's injury is at this time. If he is hurt for a longer period of time, the team wouldn't have to make an additional scratch and would have 12 forwards.

When it comes to the potential of Oshie being a scratch, it's tough to see that happening given his "glue guy" role and leadership, plus he was picking up the production slightly before his latest ailment. Never say never, though.

When he does return, there would have to be another scratch up front. Though Evgeny Kuznetsov has been inconsistent, Washington needs to run with four centers, so sitting him wouldn't be likely unless the team wants to break up the McProMo line and put Aliaksei Protas at center, which doesn't seem likely. Beyond that, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who was called up to help fill a void and helped spark the identity fourth line, could be the odd man out, too.

His opposite winger, Beck Malenstyn, is still young and coming into his own, but kills penalties and plays multiple roles that make it hard to pull him from the lineup.

On the blue line, Ethan Bear has shown that he can play top minutes, but he is a right shot and working his way back from injury. There are multiple options for where he fits in.

He could start on the bottom pairing and work with Edmundson and take Nick Jensen's spot, or, he could take the third-pairing RHD spot while Jensen moves up to work with Rasmus Sandin and Trevor van Riemsdyk shifts down to take Edmundson's place. He could also take TVR's spot next to Sandin, leaving van Riemsdyk as the odd man out or having him battle it out with Jensen or Edmundson for a spot in the lineup.

Could Bear be the odd man out? It's possible, but it's hard to imagine he chose to sign with the Capitals to be a depth option and scratch over playing.

Taking all of that into account, here are a few different lineup options for D.C. after the break:

Washington Capitals Forward Line Options

Option A:

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson

Max Pacioretty-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie

Aliaksei Protas-Connor McMichael-Anthony Mantha

Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Scratch: Sonny Milano

Option B:

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson

Max Pacioretty-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Sonny Milano

Aliaksei Protas-Connor McMichael-Anthony Mantha

Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Scratch: T.J. Oshie

Option C:

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson

Max Pacioretty-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Sonny Milano*

Aliaksei Protas-Connor McMichael-Anthony Mantha

Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-T.J. Oshie*

* - Interchangeable to provide another option

Scratch: Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Washington Capitals Defense Options

Option A:

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen*

Trevor van Riemsdyk-Ethan Bear*

* - Interchangeable to provide another option 

Scratch: Joel Edmundson

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen*

Trevor van Riemsdyk-Ethan Bear*

Option B:

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin-Ethan Bear*

Joel Edmundson-Trevor van Riemsdyk*

* - Interchangeable to provide another option 

Option C:

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen

Joel Edmundson-Ethan Bear

Scratch: Trevor van Riemsdyk

Washington returns from the break on Wednesday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.