Surprise news from the Capitals this morning as concussed playmaker Nicklas Backstrom was on the ice this morning getting a skate in as Mike Vogel from the Caps’ website tweeted today. Even more surprising is the fact that this was Backstrom’s second day in a row that he’s skated, the first time he’s done that since early January.
Tarik El-Bashir of The Washington Post reports Backstrom skated for about 20 minutes. It’s a small step, but one that should give the Caps a mental lift for now. Backstrom has been out since January thanks to a hit in the head from then Flames forward Rene Bourque.
With the Capitals now with a four point lead on having the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, if Backstrom is able to return to action this season it’ll be a huge lift to a team that’s severely missed their best setup man. Let’s not get too excited though, a 20 minute skate is just a quick breeze through and certainly not a full practice with contact.
If the Caps can make the playoffs and he’s able to come back by then, the East’s top teams might have to worry about dealing with a healthy and more dangerous team.