The Washington Capitals have too much on the line in 2015-16 to risk the health of one of their top players in the first month of the season.
That’s why center Nicklas Backstrom isn’t going to rush his way back from the arthroscopic hip surgery he had in May.
“It could be opening night (that he returns), I could miss five games, ten games, I don’t know,” Backstrom told the Washington Post. “It’s all about how I’m doing, I think.”
The Caps open the regular season Oct. 10 versus New Jersey.
“I’m going to be back to 100 percent before I start playing,” Backstrom said. “I’m not going to play on 90 percent.”