Photo Credit: Katie Brown
Nicklas Backstrom can be bland. He’s one of the best players in the league and one of the Capitals’ alternative captains, but sometimes you forget he’s there. On the ice and off it, he draws almost no attention to himself.
Two days after the Capitals were eliminated by the New York Rangers in game seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal, the team gathered at Kettler Capitals Iceplex to pack up their equipment and speak to reporters for the final time this season. In past years, we’ve seen weird fashion choices and forceful quotes, but Backstrom normally sits in the shadows. Friday, however, was Nick’s time to shine: he wore a shirt that read “Free Hugs” and said some vaguely interesting things.
“Maybe before there was no hope, but there’s hope,” Backstrom said when asked what made this year’s playoff exit different. “We’re really playing the way we should. It’s not gonna be easy to play in the playoffs, but the way we play, I think, is a lot better than previous years.”
The question then turned to his personal game. He was sixth-highest points producer in the league, but where could he improve? Nick reverted to old form for this one.
“Everywhere on the ice,” he said with smirk. “I know, I’m really boring, but I’m just being honest.”
Now, let’s take a closer look at this shirt. It is from the Hugo Boss Orange Collection. Backstrom asked CSN’s Chuck Gormley if he wanted a hug. Chuck, always a professional, declined the generous offer.
Photo credit: Katie Brown
"It might be hard for people to believe after Game 7 but it really was a step in the right direction" – @backstrom19 pic.twitter.com/CBxEpK0RFf
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 15, 2015
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