Nicklas Backstrom made his grand return to DC this week as he prepares for his seventeenth NHL season. If all goes well in training camp, Backstrom’s campaign will kick off on October 13 as the Capitals face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins and their prized offseason acquisition, Erik Karlsson.
Before leaving for Washington, Backstrom commented on Karlsson’s deal to the Metropolitan Division with Hockeynews.se.
The two may be friendly, but Backstrom won’t go easy on Karlsson once the puck drops.
“Fun for him, of course,” Backstrom said as translated by Google Translate. “As I understood it, he wanted to move. It will be great, I’m looking forward to meeting Erik Karlsson more. Then I’ll chop him on the calves.”
Backstrom’s comments come nearly two weeks after Tom Wilson made his own silly, but semi-threatening comments toward Karlsson.
“Karlsson’s obviously an elite talent and someone that, as a hockey player, you always kind of enjoy watching play,” Wilson said. “He’s super skilled and does things that are next level. But at the end of the day, he’s a rival now and we’ll try and make his life difficult back there as a Capital.
“There’s always that rivalry,” he added. “It’s always fun to play those guys. As long as Sid and Ovi are playing, it’s always a special night, and one that you circle on the calendar. So it’ll be cool to have [Karlsson] be a part of that rivalry.”
Karlsson arrives in Pittsburgh after having a career year in 2022-23 with the San Jose Sharks. Karlsson surpassed the 100 point plateau for the first time in a season, tallying 101 points (26g, 76a) in 82 games. The 33-year-old Swede earned the third Norris Trophy of his career at season’s end.
Backstrom and Karlsson are longtime friends and Tre Kronor teammates, playing together in the 2012 World Championship, 2014 Sochi Olympics (where Sweden won silver), and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The two Swedish superstars have also golfed and vacationed together in Scotland before.
During the interview, Backstrom also stated his desire, like most others in the NHLPA, to see NHL players participate more in international tournaments. The NHL is currently talking to the NHLPA about returning to the Olympics in 2026 and holding World Cup of Hockey-type tournaments more regularly in the future.
“It is so clear that it is needed for hockey,” Backstrom said. ”Hopefully after everything that has been with COVID and the Olympic tournaments that were difficult for the NHL players, I certainly hope that many will want to stand up and play for the national team because it is something special to win for your country.
“The Stanley Cup is incredibly nice to win and an incredible achievement over a season, but winning for your country is special too.”
As for the Capitals missing the playoffs last season and its aging core being one more year older, Backstrom was optimistic that the Capitals can bounce back.
“We have a little left in the tank and that’s what we’re going for,” he said. “We would like to win again and have been talking about it for a long time. That we want to have another chance to win and we will do everything for that. Age may play a small role, but I think the mental aspect is even more important.”
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
