Long-time Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom officially stepped away from the NHL after his contract expired earlier this summer. The 37-year-old had not played a game since October 2023 due to continued issues after a hip-resurfacing surgery. However, Backstrom spent 16 seasons with the Capitals after being drafted in 2006. He was well known as Alex Ovechkin’s right-hand man, best friend, and team playmaker–but he was much more than that. Backstrom is, arguably, one of the most underrated Capitals legends.
Nicklas Backstrom played a total of 1,105 regular-season games, all with the Capitals, and 139 playoff games as well. Over his career, he totaled 1,033 points (271 goals, 762 assists), giving him first place in Capitals’ history for all-time assists, as well as second place for all-time points. He also currently sits second all-time in Capitals games played, followed by John Carlson (1088). It is no secret that Nicklas Backstrom is among the Capitals’ best, and even among the league’s best. However, he seems to have flown under the radar across the league as a whole. Backstrom often found himself in the shadow of his linemate, Alex Ovechkin– the two came in tandem, rather than Backstrom being celebrated on his own accord.
Nicklas Backstrom’s History
Backstrom had always been a stellar talent. Before being drafted, he was touted as one of the best players to come out of Sweden since Peter Forsberg–and he lived up to that standard. In 2006-07, the center tallied 26 points in 46 games with Brynas IF and put up seven points in six and seven games in back-to-back World Junior Championships. Selected fourth overall, he did not disappoint in his first season: 14 goals and 55 assists in 82 games. His high level of production granted him a spot on the NHL All-Rookie team in 2008. From that day on, he has been a consistent and reliable offensive producer in the league. From 2007-08 until 2019-20, Nicklas Backstrom did not have a single NHL season under 44 points, and had a streak of six consecutive 50-assist seasons. His averaging more assists than goals across his career proves his unselfish playmaking and shows his keen eye for open lanes, accurate passing, and ability to control the play and take advantage of any opportunities he gets. The Swedish forward was also a major factor in the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup Playoff win, in which he played 20 games and notched 23 points (five goals, 18 assists).
Backstrom finished his NHL career with more total points than the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and Brad Marchand, yet his name hardly comes up in conversation about the league’s greatest players. Unfortunately for Backstrom, assists just are not as marketable as goals. A newer fan or casual watcher is much more likely to pick up on a flashy goal rather than a skilled assist, and game highlights will cover the puck finding the back of the net. Backstrom continued to fly under the radar throughout his career because of his unselfish play style, calm demeanor, and being overshadowed by higher-scoring teammates like Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. However, Capitals fans know that he is one of the greatest to ever play, both for the franchise and the league as a whole.
The Future for Backstrom
While his time in the NHL may be over, Nicklas Backstrom is not done playing hockey. He recently brought his career full circle by signing a one-year contract with Brynas IF, the Swedish team where he got his start. He played his first preseason game last week, impressing with two points. After the game, he seemed excited and pleased with his performance. “To be completely honest, it was a bit of a whirlwind. I haven’t played in a while,” Backstrom said to Aftonbladet. “I was pretty nervous before the match, too. You get a little nervous and a little more passive, maybe. But now I’ve played the first match, and now I’m going to try to work more and more into it.” Swedish hockey fans seem excited about such a great player joining the SHL, and it is exciting for Backstrom to be back on the ice where he belongs.
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