Backstrom (upper body) won't be in the lineup against the Panthers on Wednesday, NBC Sports Washington reports.

EDGE Analysis

Backstrom will miss his third straight game due to his lingering upper-body issue. The center's continued absence should benefit Lars Eller, who has logged 21:17 of ice time per game in the Caps' previous two contests, which is three minutes more than his season average. In order to clear a spot on the roster for Nic Dowd (upper body), Backstrom may be placed on injured reserve retroactively, though that shouldn't affect his recovery timeline.