The Capitals placed star center Nicklas Backstrom on injured reserve on Wednesday, a move that is retroactive to Jan. 3. That was the date Calgary’s Rene Bourque caught Backstrom with an elbow to the jaw. That was worth a five-game suspension from the NHL. It also left Backstrom woozy. He took a day off practice last week, returned to the ice Thursday and Friday and flew to California with the team. But Backstrom did not feel well after Friday’s practice and hasn’t been seen on the ice since.
The team hasn’t called it a concussion officially. But the symptoms are there. He has now missed three games and there is no timetable for his return to the ice, according to Washington coach Dale Hunter.
“We’re being cautious with him still. He’s not feeling 100 percent, so we’re being careful,” Hunter said.
Meanwhile, defenseman Mike Green, who reinjured his right groin in a 5-2 loss to San Jose on Saturday, missed his second game in a row and has now been out for 31 of the Caps’ last 34 games. No real timetable for his return, either, though Hunter said it won’t be a long-term injury. Of course, that’s what we were told after Green’s initial groin injury suffered in a Nov. 11 game against New Jersey. He missed almost two months. Green was not on the ice for the morning skate before Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Pittsburgh.
“No. He’s getting strength. He needs more strength so it’s a timetable once he gets enough strength he’ll be good,” Hunter said. “It’s one of those things where it won’t be long term but it just takes time to build it up more.”
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