"I'm just trying to take it day by day. No timetable. I just want to feel healthy."- Nicklas Backstrom.
Good news out of Washington as center Nicklas Backstrom has begun practicing again with his teammates. While it isn't clear on his availability for opening night, Backstrom is not taking any contact just yet.
“He has been skating really well with controlled conditions,… Barry Trotz said. “I think once you get into practice, you’ve got to avoid people a little bit, so we’ll see how he reacts to that.…
Backstrom's absence from the first few games of the season might not seem like much, but with the lack of center-depth for the Capitals, having the leagues best-passer and one of the best two-way forwards in the game is crucial to getting off to a quick start.
However, the Capitals haven't looked too bad this pre-season with Evgeny Kuznetsov centering Alex Ovechkin. Kuznetsov and fellow sophomore Andre Burakovsky have progressed very well for Barry Trotz and with the potential addition of PTO Derek Roy, the Caps will be in decent shape if Backstrom isn't ready.
Although Ovechkin is the face of the Washington Capitals, the team seems to struggle more without Backstrom in the lineup. He's the quarterback and can change the pace of a game every time he touches the puck, similar to Peter Forsberg back in the day.
Backstrom played in all 82 games last season, but the Caps aren't going to take any chances on rushing him back into the lineup.
“Whenever he’s ready, he’s ready", Trotz said of Backstrom. "I consider Nick a franchise player and you never put a franchise player at risk. When he’s ready, he’ll be ready. That will be determined by our medical staff, his doctor and more importantly, Nick himself.…
The Caps open up at home on October 10 against the New Jersey Devils.
More to come...