After practicing two straight days leading up to tonight’s game, Nicklas Backstrom missed this mornings morning skate at the HP Pavilion and is set to miss the Capitals game against the San Jose Sharks tonight. This will be the first game this season that the Capitals will be without their top center on the ice.
Backstrom took an elbow to the jaw on Tuesday night from the Calgary Flames’ Rene Bourque and the Capitals say they are just playing it safe with the Swedish forwards health. This is just the sixth time in the 24-year-olds five-year NHL career that he will miss a game.
As of yesterday Backstrom himself said he was ready to go out and play, but the team has to be looking after his long term health. Backstrom took an initial concussion test the day after the incident with inconclusive results. You have to imagine though that team is looking out for him in case he does have a minor concussion. However, since the incident the team has not used the term concussion.
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