Something else had to happen with the Washington Capitals over the roster limit. That something else was putting leading scorer Nicklas Backstrom on injured reserve.
“We’re being cautious with him still,” coach Dale Hunter said. “He’s not feeling 100 percent, so we’re being careful.
Backstrom (head) was placed on IR retroactive to Tuesday, Jan. 3, meaning he would be eligible to come back and play at any point moving forward. He won’t play Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and has not skated since Friday.
Asked if the Caps had a timetable for Backstrom returning to skating, Hunter replied: “No, no we don’t. Not right now.”
Defenseman Tomas Kundratek took Backstrom’s spot on the roster and will make his NHL debut vs. Pittsburgh.
