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Brian MacLellan on Nicklas Backstrom: ‘He’s going to have to make a decision on his career’

By Ian Oland

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April 15, 2023 3:23 pm

Nicklas Backstrom may have played his final game as a Washington Capital. However, at this moment in time, the player and organization do not appear to be in lockstep together on what’s next.

On Breakdown Day, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan addressed Backstrom’s comeback from hip resurfacing surgery and said a discussion and a determination on what happens next will need to be made before next season.

“That’s a major surgery,” MacLellan said. “I think it’s frustrating in that I don’t know how much better it’s going to get. I haven’t seen any other players do it, recover, and get back to the level they thought they were at before. I don’t know where that ends up with the offseason training. He’s going to have to make a decision on his career where he thinks he’s at.”

MacLellan seems to be hinting that Backstrom may need to grapple with if he’s willing to accept a much different role next season — perhaps lower down in the lineup and with power play time. If not, then a bigger decision like retirement (Backstrom LTIR’ing until the end of his contract) may need to be made. Backstrom has two years remaining on the five-year deal he signed in 2020. He makes $9.2 million annually.

MacLellan’s comments contrasted with a positive outlook Backstrom had about next year after the team’s season finale, a 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils. Backstrom further reinforced his hopeful thoughts on Saturday’s Breakdown Day

“I mean, better and better,” Backstrom said of how he’s feeling. “It’s not ideal to come in mid-season and a big surgery like that. You missed a lot and you’re trying to catch up. It’s not ideal. I mean I’m optimistic about next year and like, have a good summer, the first really good summer in a couple of years, and be ready at the training camp and be a part of that. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

He added, “I’m optimistic. I mean obviously, get some more strength back in the leg and go from there.”

MacLellan, on the other hand, saw more marginal improvement over the course of the season. He seemed uncertain on the prospects of Backstrom re-finding his past level.

“I think it’s a tough thing to get through,” MacLellan said of Backstrom’s surgery. “We don’t have experience on observing players that have done it. I don’t know what could happen in the offseason to make it significantly better.”

Backstrom, 36, had his worst year as a pro, posting 21 points (7g, 14a) in 39 games. Backstrom finished with career lows in points-per-60 minutes (1.9), assists-per-60 minutes (1.2), and plus-minus (minus-25). The Capitals were outscored 27-14, out-attempted (476 to 429), and out-chanced (247-200) when Backstrom was on the ice at five-on-five. Backstrom finished the year with a career-low 34.2 goals-for percentage.

When he had time and space, however, Backstrom still shined, showing off his incredible playmaking. Six of Backstrom’s seven goals and 11 of his 21 points came on the power play.

“I’m going to have a meeting with him and discuss how are you feeling physically, what do you think [you can improve]. We’ll talk to our strength guys. We’ll make decisions based on that,” MacLellan said.

Backstrom, like all NHL players, will need to clear a physical at training camp before the start of next season.

During the Capitals’ final game of the season, former head coach Peter Laviolette had Backstrom center his longtime friend and teammate Alex Ovechkin on the first line — like old times — despite not much success together anymore at 5v5. Laviolette also gave them the start. Should that turn out to be Backstrom’s last game, it would be a touching finale for the franchise center.

The two assisted on a goal together in the first period — Rasmus Sandin’s seventh of the season.

What’s next is unclear, but if it is the end of the road, at least the two got one last boop together.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

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