Mikael Backlund's abdominal strain is worse than originally thought, Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald reports.

Backlund's abdominal strain is worse than originally thought, Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald reports.

Analysis:

Backlund was originally expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, but head coach Bob Hartley stated Monday that he's worried about Backlund's status. The team hasn't given any sort of timetable for the center's return, so keep an eye out for an update in the next few days.