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Backstrom could be out until after the All-Star break

Nicklas Backstrom

Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19), of Sweden, celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

AP

The Washington Capitals will definitely be without Mike Green the rest of January. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the timetable for Nicklas Backstrom’s return might be similar, reports CSNWashington.com.

Backstrom has been day-to-day with concussion symptoms since getting a Rene Bourque elbow in the chin on Jan. 3.

“We’re just being real careful with him, still,” Caps coach Dale Hunter said, adding it might make the most sense to keep his leading scorer out until after the All-Star break.

“Yeah, the All-Star break is close and we’ll monitor him day-to-day to see how he is,” Hunter said. “As it gets closer that could be the call, but we don’t know for sure.”

The Capitals have seven games before the All-Star Game (Jan. 29). They’re 1-2-0 since Backstron’s been out, with just five goals combined in those three games.

Washington’s first game after the break is Jan. 31 in Tampa Bay.