Nicklas Backstrom will not suit up against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night. Backstrom suffered an unknown upper-body injury at some point and has not played since the Washington Capitals home game on November 18. Despite traveling with the team, the Washington Capitals center will miss every game of the team’s west coast road trip.
The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell has the details.
Reirden confirms Backstrom will not be in the lineup tonight. Reiterated the team won’t play him until he’s 100 percent. https://t.co/qElSdrQvKj
— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) December 6, 2019
Backstrom believed he was set to return late last week but has not been able to play. Capitals’ head coach Todd Reirden said Backstrom has not suffered any complications.
Reirden on if any complications have come up w/ Backstrom’s injury that have led to him now miss 8 games:
“No, I wouldn’t say that. When you get to this end of an injury then it can go either way. It is just kind of staying where he is not at 100 percent so we won’t put him in.”
— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) December 6, 2019
The Capitals have gone 5-1-1 without their star center in the lineup.
