Nicklas Backstrom received a hero’s welcome in his first Swedish Hockey League game since 2007 – a span of 6,753 days. The former Washington Capitals great, after a nearly two-year hiatus from competitive hockey due to his surgically-repaired hip, suited up in Brynäs IF’s SHL regular-season opener against the Växjö Lakers at Monitor ERP Arena on Saturday.
While Brynäs fell 7-4, the day was still one to remember for Backstrom.
“It’s wonderful to play hockey and to be back,” Backstrom said to Aftonbladet, per a translation by Google Translate. “Just try to forget this and move on on Tuesday.”
Brynäs fans marked Backstrom’s incredible comeback with a hand-painted tifo, a large mosaic, that included his smiling team photo and two older photos — one from his youth and one from his adult playing days — alongside two newspaper clippings.
“Once Brynäs, always Brynäs, welcome home,” the bottom of the tifo read, per a translation by Matilda Wrigsjö.
Fans waved flags and cheered as Brynäs took to the ice for their first regular-season game of the new year.
Backstrom acknowledged the fans’ tribute by skating over to the end boards to show his appreciation.
Centering the second line, Backstrom skated with Oskar Lindblom (a former player for the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks) and former Capitals’ teammate Axel Jonsson-Fjällby. Backstrom received 20:28 of ice time — second only to Johan Larsson (21:42) among Brynäs forwards. Backstrom had one shot and one hit while winning 8 of 12 faceoffs (66.6 percent). He also upended an official while skating along the boards, apologizing with a smile when he returned to the bench.
Brynäs outshot Växjö 26 to 18 and got goals from Larsson (2), Lucas Pettersson, and Kieffer Bellows. A back-and-forth affair through the first 37 minutes, Växjö scored three unanswered goals at the end to take the game.
Backstrom was asked what his feelings were like before the match, especially considering the big expectations he’s received from fans. Before the season started, he was voted most likely to be the SHL scoring leader and MVP at year’s end, as well as the best new acquisition over the summer.
“It’s hard to describe, it’s emotional,” Backstrom said. “But once the game is underway, you forget about it. But we’re not quite there today. It’s just a matter of recharging.”
Backstrom was impressive during preseason and Champions Hockey League play, notching two multi-point games and even delivering a highlight-reel hit. Heading into Saturday’s game, Backstrom admitted that he had nothing but positive vibes.
“It feels good,” Backstrom said at an SHL event in Stockholm per Hockey Sverige, as translated by Google Translate. “It’s fun to be back. I’m very excited about the season.”
When asked what his biggest challenge was so far, Backstrom did not cite his conditioning or his hip, but the differences from his experience in the NHL.
“I think… I would probably say a slightly different game system,” Backstrom said. “It’s a little bigger ice. You have to learn how you used to play ice hockey when you were younger again. There are some things like that that take a little time, but generally speaking it’s a lot of fun.
“Over in the NHL it’s a pretty straight game and a little less space of course. But here you have a little more time and a little more skating too.”
Brynäs’s next game is on September 16 against Luleå Hockey.
Brynäs lineup on 9/13
Forwards
#18 Anton Rödin – #10 Johan Larsson – #33 Jakob Silfverberg
#23 Oskar Lindblom – #19 Nicklas Bäckström – #71 Axel Jonsson-Fjällby
#52 Jack Kopacka – #36 Linus Ölund – #81 Kieffer Bellows
#47 Lucas Pettersson – #20 Tyler Vesel – #41 Greg Scott
#17 Michal Svrcek
Defensemen
#5 Michal Kempný – #28 Johannes Kinnvall
#3 Christian Djoos – #27 Mattias Norlinder
#14 Robert Hägg – #29 Axel Andersson
#24 Aaron Dahlqvist
Goaltenders
#61 Collin Delia
#45 Damian Clara
