ARLINGTON, VA — Nicklas Backstrom and the Washington Capitals announced on Wednesday that the long-time, star center will be stepping away from the team due to ongoing injury issues. Backstrom missed a large part of the 2022-23 campaign recovering from hip resurfacing surgery.
Both Backstrom and general manager Brian MacLellan prepared written statements released by the Capitals.
Backstrom’s statement reads:
Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game. This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time. I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.
MacLellan’s statement reads:
We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process. We know first-hand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health. Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation.
Though he was able to return last season, Backstrom’s hip has continued to be an evident issue. The decision to step back apparently came from Backstrom, who spoke to the team’s trainers, head coach Spencer Carbery, and general manager Brian MacLellan on Monday. After a day off on Tuesday, Backstrom addressed the team ahead of Wednesday’s practice. He will remain in DC for the foreseeable future.
The Capitals are expected to place Backstrom on IR Wednesday afternoon and he will likely move to LTIR at some point moving forward. General manager Brian MacLellan will speak to the media on Friday.
Backstrom is over 15 months removed from his hip resurfacing procedure and the once highly-durable centerman has visibly labored through games ever since returning to the team’s lineup. The 2023-24 season was always meant to be a vital one to determine whether or not Backstrom could still be a functional NHL player at this point of his storied career.
General manager Brian MacLellan did not seem to be super positive about the prospects of that back in April. “I think it’s frustrating in that I don’t know how much better it’s going to get,” MacLellan said. “I haven’t seen any other players do it, recover, and get back to the level they thought they were at before. He’s going to have to make a decision on his career where he thinks he’s at.”
Through eight games this season, Backstrom has recorded just one point. In recent matchups, the veteran Swede has been removed from the team’s top power play unit for the first time since he entered the league and has seen his ice time cut to under 12 and a half minutes per game.
With Backstrom on the ice at five-on-five, the Capitals are seeing just 44.1 percent of the shot attempts, 38.8 percent of the expected goals, 37.6 percent of the scoring chances, and 33.4 percent of the high-danger chances. The 35-year-old pivot is making $9.2 million against the salary cap while on the active roster.
Professional athletes who get the sort of hip resurfacing surgery done that Backstrom did typically do not have successful returns to their sports. The most successful example in the NHL, prior to Backstrom, came via defenseman Ed Jovanovski back in 2014. Jovanovski played in just 37 more games in the league before calling it quits.
There was some potential indication that something like this would be coming at practice on Monday. During that skate, Backstrom split reps at center ice with 22-year-old forward Connor McMichael.
Here’s the Capitals’ full press release:
Statements from Nicklas Backstrom and the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals alternate captain Nicklas Backstrom and president and general manager Brian MacLellan have released the following statements on Backstrom’s injury:
“Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game. This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time. I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”
– Nicklas Backstrom
“We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process. We know first-hand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health. Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation.”
– Brian MacLellan
Backstrom, the Capitals’ all-time assists leader, has recorded 1,033 points (271g, 762a) in 1,105 career games with Washington. Backstrom ranks second in franchise history in points, games played, power-play points (421) and overtime goals (9), and fourth in goals, power-play goals (86) and game-winning goals (39). Backstrom was drafted by the Capitals in the first round, fourth overall, in the 2006 NHL Draft and is one of two players in franchise history to play 1,000 games with Washington and record 1,000 points.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
