Nicklas Bäckström

Nicklas Bäckström
Blake during his time with the Capitals on 13 February 2022
Born (1987-11-23) 23 November 1987
Valbo, Sweden
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
SHL team
Former teams		 Brynäs IF
Washington Capitals
Dynamo Moscow
National team  Sweden
NHL draft 4th overall, 2006
Washington Capitals
Playing career 2004–present

Nicklas Bäckström (born 23 November 1987) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre. He currently plays for Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He also played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played his entire NHL career for the Washington Capitals. Outside from the NHL, Bäckström also played for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Bäckström is a one-time Stanley Cup champion, winning with the Capitals in 2018. Blake is also an one-time All-Star, being named one in 2016. Internationally, Bäckström played for Sweden, winning a silver medal in 2014.

Career

Before playing in the NHL, Bäckström played parts of three seasons with the Brynäs IF of the Elitserien. He had a successful time with Brynäs. He was named the Rookie of the Year and was named the back-to-back Junior Hockey Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007.

He was drafted 4th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2006 NHL entry draft.[1] On October 5, 2007, he made his NHL debut in a 3–1 win against the Atlanta Thrashers. During the game, he recorded his first NHL point, assisting on a Michael Nylander goal.[2] On November 8, Bäckström scored his first NHL goal against Ray Emery in a 4–1 win to the Ottawa Senators.[3] He finished the 2009–10 season, scoring 33 goals and recording 68 assists for 101 points which was fourth in the NHL for scoring. On 17 May 2010, Bäckström signed a ten-year, $67 million contract to stay with the Capitals.[4]

After the NHL entered into a lockout, Bäckström decided to head back to Europe and signed a contract to play for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on 18 October 2012. He scored 10 goals and recorded 15 assists for 25 points in 19 games for Dynamo before returning the Capitals after the lockout ended. During his time with Dynamo, he played alongside his Capitals teammate Alexander Ovechkin.[5] On 13 December 2014, Bäckström recorded his first NHL career hat-trick against Ben Bishop in a 3–1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.[6] On 15 March 2015, he scored in a game against the Boston Bruins. This goal made Bäckström the Capitals all-time leader in assists.[7] In the 2015–16 season, Bäckström was named to his first All-Star game.[8] He helped the Capitals when they went on a run in the playoffs. They defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Tampa Bay Lightning. They went on to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to one in the Final to win the first Stanley Cup in Capitals franchise history.[9] He battled injuries to his hand during the playoffs and had to miss the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals. He returned for Game 5 but was injured and had to leave again and also missing the victory.[10] By the end of the 2010s decade, Bäckström was the assist leader of the decade. He had recorded 512 during his decade within the league.[11]

On 13 January 2020, Bäckström signed a five-year, $46 million contract to stay with the Capitals.[12] On 9 March 2022, Bäckström assisted on a T. J. Oshie goal in 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The assist put Bäckström over the 1,000 point mark.[13] On 18 June 2022, Bäckström announced that he needed hip resurfacing surgery.[14] He played 8 games of the 2023–24 season before having to step away because of his knee not working properly.[15]

On 28 July 2025, Bäckström decided to return to Sweden and signed a one-year contract to play for his old team Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Capitals Draft Sweden's Backstrom". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  2. ↑ "2006-07 NHL Debuts". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ottawa Senators - Washington Capitals - Nov 8, 2007". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Capitals Sign Nicklas Backstrom to 10-Year Contract". Washington Capitals. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Nicklas Backstrom signs with Dynamo Moscow". Washington Post. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Nicklas Backstrom's hat trick leads Capitals to 4-2 win over Tampa Bay Lightning". Washington Post. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Nicklas Backstrom's hat trick leads Capitals to 4-2 win over Tampa Bay Lightning". Washington Post. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Star-studded Central roster highlights All-Star reveal". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Capitals win Stanley Cup, defeat Golden Knights in Game 5 of Final". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Backstrom skates, questionable for Capitals in Game 4 against Lightning". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  11. ↑ "An era to remember: Capitals will finish the 2010s as the winningest NHL franchise of the decade". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Capitals Re-sign Nicklas Backstrom". Washington Capitals. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Nicklas Backstrom Records 1,000th Career Point". Washington Capitals. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Washington Capitals veteran center Nicklas Backstrom, 34, undergoes surgery on left hip". ESPN. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Washington Capitals veteran center Nicklas Backstrom, 34, undergoes surgery on left hip". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Nicklas Bäckström returns home to Brynäs IF". National Hockey League (in Swedish). Retrieved February 20, 2026.

Other websites

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.