Nicklas Backstrom, who became a free agent this past summer after playing 1,105 games for Washington in the NHL since entering the league in 2007, announced he would attempt to resume his career playing for Brynas IF Gavle in Sweden’s SHL. This move likely ends a successful career with the Capitals with a Stanley Cup title and a place among the franchise’s top players.
Backstrom missed all of last season and only played 47 games for the Capitals after going a hip resurfacing procedure in 2022, as the center looked to deal with an injury that significantly slowed his play, recording just 22 points in those last two seasons after being nearly a point-per-game player during his career. His last game for Washington came nearly two years ago, an October 29, 2023 game against San Jose, ending an eight-game stint where he recorded just one point and it became clear he was unable to handle the NHL workload due to the injury.
Backstrom isn’t ready to call it quits
Unlike T.J. Oshie, who opted to retire earlier this summer after he also missed last season due to injury, Backstrom has been aggressive in trying to restart his playing career.
However, that means Backstrom’s absence didn’t help somewhat, as once his $9.2 million contract with Washington was placed on LTIR last season, it allowed for last season’s aggressive retooling that helped earn the Capitals top seed in the East.
And, once Backstrom’s contract officially expired the end of June, he was free to attempt a comeback in his native country without having to worry about Washington’s cap space.
Backstrom leaves the Capitals as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists with 762, second in points with 1,033 (with Alex Ovechkin being the only other Washington player to record 1,000 points with the franchise), and second in games played despite playing sparingly the last three seasons.
45th on all-time NHL assist list
Of the 44 players ahead of Backstom in the NHL’s all-time assist list, only one of those players who is considered retired and eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame hasn’t has been enshrined, so a trip to Toronto seems likely for Backstrom whenver he hangs them up in Sweden.
While Backstrom was capable of being one of the top stars on most NHL teams, he was always content being a solid supporting cast member for Ovechkin. Backstrom even had his name announced by the team’s superstar and Calder Trophy-winner when he was selected fourth overall in the 2006 NHL Draft in Vancouver.
While Backstrom initially strugged out of the gate once he arrived a year later, a coaching change did him and the Capitals a lot of good. Nearly two months into his rookie season, Backstrom had just a goal and eight assists in 21 games with the Caps, and with the team struggling, Glen Hanlon was fired and Bruce Boudreau summoned from Hershey to try and save Washington’s season on Thanksgiving Day 2007.
Backstrom responded with his first-ever multiple-point game and his second career goal became one of his biggest of the 271 goals scored in his illustrous career, notching the game-winner in overtime to help the Caps win Boudreau’s NHL coaching debut in Philadelphia the day after Thanksgiving. That win was a turning point for the Capitals that year, as it sparked an improbable run that saw the Capitals qualify for the playoffs for the first time in the Ovechkin era in 2007-08 and ending a five-year drought overall.
Despite Backstrom’s regular-season success, he had some of his most memorable moments during the postseason for Washington, recording four overtime game-winners for the Capitals during his career, which even outshone Ovechkin in that regard.
Backstrom’s biggest playoff moments
In 2010, he notched his first playoff overtime game-winner to cap a hat trick in Game 2 of Washington’s first-round series against Montreal at Verizon Center, capping the night 31 seconds into overtime and capping a four-point night. After his heroics, he ended up on the hardwood waiting to answer reporters’ questions, playing basketball on the Washington Wizards’ practice court with Ovechkin as Boudreau delivered his press conference.
Two years later, he ended up scoring another big goal in Game 2 of Washington’s first-round series at TD Garden in Boston, squaring their series with the Boston Bruins, and eventually leading to the Caps upsetting the defending Stanley Cup champions in seven games.
In 2015, Backstrom scored in Game 4 at Nassau Coliseum to even their series with the New York Islanders, a series the Capitals also won in seven games.
And, in the most memorable spring in Backstrom’s playoff career, he put Washington one game away from the second round with an overtime winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 5, and naturally, that playoff run ended with a Stanley Cup title, with Backstrom getting the assist in Ovechkin’s Game 5 tally in Vegas. That all led to the image seared in Capitals history of Ovechkin carrying the Cup with Backstrom on the ice at T-Mobile Arena that June night in 2018.
Three of Backstrom’s overtime playoff winners came in series Washington won, and three times they squared the series for the Capitals, and the latter put Washington ahead in the series.
Hall of Fame candidacy can wait til Backstrom retires
While Backstrom’s last few years weren’t what he wanted, certainly Washington’s success in the Ovechkin era were in large part thanks to his quiet efficiency, but also he was a player who could rise to the moment, as he is tied with such luminaries as Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Bob Nystrom in playoff overtime goals, and 45th all-time in assists and likely will find a place in Toronto down the road.
But for now, a Hall of Fame consideration will have to wait, as Backstrom will hope he can have a successful second act in Sweden, and while his NHL career is almost assuredly done, his drive to continue playing will get another chance across the Atlantic.
