Backstrom (hip) relayed to a Swedish newspaper that he's not confident he'll be ready to play in the Capitals' Oct. 10 season opener against the Devils, Yahoo! Sports reports. "[Surgery] has gone well and I hope it stays that way," Backstrom said. "[But] I don't know if I will be able to play right away when the season starts."

EDGE Analysis

Backstrom underwent the arthroscopic procedure on his hip in late May and has since been cleared to start skating with the Capitals in training camp, but full-contact practices may represent an obstacle that proves more difficult for the center to clear. He'll likely be limited throughout camp, and even if Backstrom gets enough work in to suit up for Opening Night, it's expected that he'll see far below the 20:32 of ice time he averaged last season. It shouldn't take long after the opener before Backstrom draws closer to full health, however, so it's still quite likely that he finishes among the league leaders in assists.