Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom grinded out his 14th season in the NHL. A hip injury kept him off the ice until December. Despite pushing through the regular season, it was clear he was hampered by the injury in the playoffs.
When asked about what’s his plan to address his hip, Backstrom said he has “some decisions to make.”
“We’ll see what’s going to happen [this summer]. We have some decisions to make. Those decisions aren’t finalized yet, so we’ll take it day by day,” Backstrom said per The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell.
Backstrom played 47 games in the regular season, compiling a career-low of 31 points. In the postseason, his production revved up despite the nagging hip. He had six points in six games.
“The hip’s not going to be 100%. That’s something we all know. Some days are good. Some days are less good. That’s just life,” Backstrom admitted.
Surgery, rehab or retirement, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan says Backstrom will “explore all options” addressing the hip injury.
Nicklas Backstrom, 34, has been a staple to the Capitals core alongside Alex Ovechkin for the past 14 years. However, his age and lingering hip injury is a cause of concern moving forward in the Capitals point.
Next season, Backstrom will be in the third of a five-year, $46 million extension he signed before the 2020-21 season. It’s a deal that carries a $9.2 million cap hit through the 2024-25 season. Thus, Backstrom’s health and availability will carry a lot of weight into the Capitals’ foreseeable future.
