Player News

• Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom: Will remain on LTIR next season

  04/30/2024 • By RotoWire

  Backstrom (hip) is expected to spend the 2024-25 campaign on long-term injured reserve, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports Tuesday. Backstrom managed just eight games this year before being forced to miss the remainder of the campaign on LTIR. At this point, Backstrom's career appears to be over with the center essentially riding out the final year of his contract. That being the case, Backstrom will eventually retire having played in 1105 contests, all for the Capitals, in which he racked up 271 goals and 762 assists over the course of 17 seasons.

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• Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom: On LTIR

  11/08/2023 • By RotoWire

  Backstrom (hip), who announced last Wednesday that he's temporarily stepping away from hockey to focus on his health, was moved to the long-term injured reserve list Wednesday. It was already expected that Backstrom would be out for a while, but this move serves to confirm that notion. He had an assist in eight contests before beginning his break from hockey. With Backstrom unavailable, Dylan Strome seems to have cemented himself on the Capitals' top line.

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• Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom: Taking time off to focus on health

  11/01/2023 • By RotoWire

  Backstrom, who underwent hip surgery in 2022 but has been playing this season, announced Wednesday he would be temporarily stepping away from hockey to focus on his health. Additionally, Backstrom has been placed on injured reserve, per the NHL media site. Backstrom cited his "injury situation" in his explanation for taking time off from hockey, but he didn't specify if his hip is the issue or if there is a different problem. The 35-year-old also didn't provide a potential timetable for his return, but given the nature of the announcement, it seems fair to believe he'll miss a decent chunk of time at a minimum. Backstrom has just one assist in eight contests while averaging 14:34 of ice time this year, and if he's been playing injured, that would explain his lack of production and limited role. Hendrix Lapierre, who was recalled Sunday, might play regularly during Backstrom's absence.

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• Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom: Generates first assist

  10/26/2023 • By RotoWire

  Backstrom notched an assist in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Devils. Backstrom snapped his season-opening drought with the secondary helper on Connor McMichael's third-period goal. Playing in a middle-six role and on the second power-play unit, Backstrom isn't expected to produce as much as he has in past seasons this year. He's at 11 shots on net, five blocked shots and a minus-2 rating through six contests.

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• Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom: Mired in slump

  10/25/2023 • By RotoWire

  Backstrom has no points and has managed a minus-3 rating and 10 shots through the first five games. The Capitals are struggling overall, but Backstrom is averaging the lowest ice time (15:54) of his career. He's been been removed from the top line and was recently moved off the top power-play unit with Dylan Strome replacing him on both units. The 35-year-old Backstrom is bound to start producing again and this slump could be the residual effects of his recovery from the hip resurfacing surgery he had in 2022, but fantasy managers are bound to be spooked by the early returns.

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