Nicklas Backstrom and Andre Burakovsky will not represent Sweden at the upcoming IIHF World Championship tournament in Slovakia, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association announced on Tuesday.
In the Swedish national team’s release of their roster, both Backstrom and Burakovsky have “injury” listed as their reasons for declining the invitation.
The Capitals’ season ended one week ago after the reigning champs were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Seven overtime. Backstrom led the Capitals in postseason goals with five goals scored over the seven games.
In Backstrom’s breakdown day interview, he was asked if he would be joining Tre Kronor.
“We have to go through medicals here first. Little banged up, so we’ll see,” Backstrom said. “I feel like everyone is a little injured at the end of the season.”
Burakovsky, who had a goal in Game Seven, did not specify an injury but echoed Backstrom’s sentiment on breakdown day that he would need to discuss with coaches and medical staff before he would make a decision about joining Sweden at the World Championship tournament.
Lars Eller, who missed several practices during the playoffs due to an upper-body injury, expressed hesitation about joining Denmark in the World Championship as well, but no announcement has been made public yet on his decision.
With Backstrom and Burakovsky both out, we will not see a face-off between the Capitals’ Swedes and Russians in the tournament’s group round. Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Dmitry Orlov reported to the Russian national team on Tuesday.
Headline photo: Capitals
