Nicklas Backstrom had a tough 2023-24 season, spending the vast majority of the year on long-term injured reserve after the Washington Capitals announced that he had stepped away from the team on November 1.
Backstrom, a 2006 Capitals’ first-round draft pick and 2018 Stanley Cup champion, has been unable to be a regular in the team’s lineup for much of the last three seasons due to lingering issues with his surgically repaired hip. There have been few updates about Backstrom’s future status since. The common belief is that he’s retired without officially announcing his retirement yet.
The 36-year-old Swede has one year remaining on his contract with the Capitals and general manager Brian MacLellan believes Backstrom will spend the entirety of that final year on LTIR.
“That’s what I would anticipate,” MacLellan said Tuesday.
MacLellan balked when asked if there would be any further clarity on the situation.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know. We’ll see.”
Backstrom reportedly joined the Capitals on a four-game road trip in January and also participated in the team’s 1,000 game ceremonies for TJ Oshie and John Carlson late in the season. He has yet to speak to the media since stepping away from the team.
In an interview with Jeff Marek weeks after the initial announcement, MacLellan seemed to suggest Backstrom was done playing hockey for good, saying “He made a decision and that’s the way he’s going out.”
Before playing just eight games this past season, Backstrom featured 39 times during the back half of the 2022-23 schedule after intense rehab post-hip resurfacing. His process and possession stats were unfortunately some of the worst on the team. After a promising 2023 preseason, Backstrom slowed down as the regular season got underway and his numbers remained poor.
The slow start led to head coach Spencer Carbery removing him from the team’s first unit power play and bumping him down to the third-line center spot. Backstrom announced his stint away from the club shortly after.
As things currently stand, Backstrom has amassed 1,033 points (271g, 762a) in 1,105 career games for the Capitals. He ranks second all-time on the team in points behind just Alex Ovechkin (1,550) and first in assists.
