Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom undergoes hip surgery

Apr 12, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) skates with the puck as Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (49) chases in the third period in the third period at Capital One Arena. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Capitals' 15-year veteran Nicklas Backstrom undergoes hip surgery

By Adam Stites | Last updated 6/18/22

Washington Capitals veteran center Nicklas Bäckström had left hip resurfacing surgery in Belgium on Friday, the team announced Saturday.

Bäckström, 34, has spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals since making his debut at age 19 in 2007. In 15 seasons and 1,058 games played with the team, Bäckström has 1,011 points with 264 goals scored.

The hip injury for Bäckström kept him out of action for the first two months of the 2021-22 NHL season and he finished with a career-low six goals in 47 games played. After the season, he told reporters that he had tough decisions to make about how to handle his hip in the offseason.

Backstrom on what it took for him play this season:

"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."
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 15, 2022

Washington finished the regular season 44-26-12 and earned a spot in the playoffs, but lost in six games to the Florida Panthers in the first round. It was the team's fourth consecutive first-round exit since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Bäckström and Alexander Ovechkin are the only two players to ever appear in more than 1,000 games with the Capitals and the only two to eclipse 1,000 points with the franchise. Bäckström is Washington's all-time leader in assists with 747.

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