Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom has announced that he is taking a hiatus from hockey activities to focus on his health.
The 35 year old underwent hip resurfacing surgery in June of 2022, before returning to play in 39 games for the Capitals down the stretch. However there has since been a noticeable decline in Backstrom’s on ice play, leading many to question whether or not the Swede was fully recovered from the operation.
“Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game,” Backstrom said via a team release. “This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time. I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”
Backstrom is the franchise’s all-time assists leader and has posted 1,033pt (271G, 762A) over the course of an 1,105 game career with Washington.
“We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process,” Capitals president and general manager Brian MacLellan added. “We know first-hand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health. Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation.”
While Backstrom has stopped short of announcing his retirement, it’s certainly not out of the question for the former 1st round pick. It’s unclear at the moment whether the Capitals will elect to place Backstrom on LTIR or not.
Washington currently sits 5th in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-3-1 record through their first 8 games. The team is next in action on Thursday evening at 7pm ET vs. the New York Islanders.
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