Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom may want to leave the NHL
In a recent interview with Swedish news outlet Expressen, Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom said he would like to return to Sweden eventually and play for his former club, Brynas IF.
Note: the following quote is translated from Swedish
Backstrom, 35, played in Brynas IF's youth system as well as parts of three seasons with their men's team before making the trek across the Atlantic to begin his National Hockey League career with the Washington Capitals.
Despite injury issues in recent years, since coming to the NHL in 2007, Backstrom has been one of the most consistent centermen in the entire league and is nearly a point-per-game player. His strong play on both sides of the puck in the NHL, as well as his success on the international stage should make him a Hall of Famer down the road once he retires.
In 1,097 career games, the Gavle native has 1,032 points (271 goals, 761 assists), along with 114 points in 139 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Backstrom played a key role in 2018 helping the Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Backstrom is under contract with the Capitals for two more seasons with a cap hit of $9.2 million, so the earliest he could potentially return to Sweden and play for Brynas IF would be the 2025-26 season.
Source: Expressen.se
| POLL | ||
Do you think Nicklas Backstrom is a Hall of Famer? | ||
| Yes | 43 | 51.8 % |
| No | 33 | 39.8 % |
| Unsure | 7 | 8.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
