Photo: Joel Marklund

Over the weekend, GD.se released a fascinating Swedish-language interview with the Caps’ reluctant star, Nicklas Backstrom. Interviewer Markus Bäckström (no relation) asked Nicky about the recent birth of his daughter Haley and how fatherhood has changed his life.

Backstrom also spoke frankly about how he feels more comfortable out of the spotlight. Friend-of-the-blog Jake Ware translates.

Backstrom speaks about fatherhood at the 8:14 mark.

Quite a lot has happened in your life recently. You became a father in October. How has that been?

It’s been really exciting, unbelievably fun, and quite an adjustment, a different life. But it’s been really fun. It’s gone great. Both my girlfriend and daughter feel great and grow every day. It’s an incredible experience to watch your own child grow.

Do you sleep at night?

Yeah, I do actually. My girlfriend is great at getting up at night and taking care of her so I can sleep, especially the nights before a game. You need the rest.

When do you take care of her?

When I’m home I try to do more and give her some time off. I think we complement each other quite well actually.

Your coach, Adam Oates, went out on Twitter saying you should call your daughter Adam, what do you think of that?

I didn’t know he had Twitter! [Editor’s note: He doesn’t.] It was probably just a joke, as you know you can’t call a girl Adam!

What did you name her then?

She’s called Haley.

Backstrom talks about staying in the shadows of other players at the 10:40 mark.

Looking around town, it feels like Ovechkin really is what you call a “franchise player” and that you’re more in the shadows. How do you see that?

I see it as a positive! Of course his personality and what he’s managed on the ice few people have done. He is the face of Washington and the one that sells the most. That I’m in the background I have no problems with. I see it only as a positive. I’m more the type to come to work and do my job, always give 100%, and not need too much attention to be honest. I mean, I don’t mind talking to the media for example, but I don’t feel bad if I don’t either. That’s how I am as a person and always will be.

Do you think you get enough credit as you deserve with how much you’ve produced over many years? In Sweden, all the talk is pretty much about Zetterberg, the Sedins, Henrik Lundqvist, but you’ve had lots of success.

That’s a hard question… I really don’t think it matters.

But why do you think it’s like that?

I don’t know, maybe because they’ve been around even longer. I don’t know. It’s a hard question to answer. But they deserve it, they are that good hockey players.

Do you not deserve it as well then, just looking at what happens on the ice?

I’m probably not the right person to answer that question. I always try to play my best and do as well as I can. It doesn’t matter if I get credit or not, those I want to get credit from I get it from anyway. That’s what matters.

Malin of the blog Hockeyramblings translated the rest of the interview. Make sure to check it out. It includes Backstrom’s thoughts about the upcoming Olympics as well as some interesting thoughts from Calle Johansson.

Photo: Joel Marklund