Backes has been diagnosed with diverticulitis and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, but is expected to miss at least the next 3-to-4 weeks.
For the uninitiated, diverticulitis is an inflammation or infection of the small pouches in the digestive tract that can cause great discomfort and digestive problems. Therefore, it is difficult to say at this point when Backes will be able to return to action and hopefully we will know more once he has undergone a more thorough evaluation. Sean Kuraly will likely continue to center Boston's third line, while Riley Nash is slated to fill in on the fourth line while Patrice Bergeron (lower body) also remains sidelined.
