Backstrom (hip) will miss four-to-five games as he works his way back from offseason hip surgery.

EDGE Analysis

While the original thought was that Backstrom could miss anywhere from zero-to-10 games, a more concrete timeline for the playmaking center is a positive sign for him. After a league-high 60 assists last season, Backstrom should slot right back into the top line alongside Alex Ovechkin and should return to being in the upper-echelon of pivots.