(Caps Outsider)
After a busy preseason, the Capitals will head into opening night without Nicklas Backstrom, instead being forced to rely on the skills of rookie forwards Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre.
Prior to the preseason stint, Backstrom had been dealing with a hip injury and was not on the ice for training camp or any of the preseason games. The Caps announced on Tuesday that Backstom would be placed on the long-term injury list, meaning he will be out for at least the first ten games of the season.