Nicklas Bäckström

After turning 15, Bäckström began his junior career in the 2002–03 season, playing for Brynäs IF of the J20 SuperElit league.[4] After playing parts of three seasons there, in the final of which he had 34 points in 29 games (17 goals and 17 assists), he was called up to play for the club's team in the Elitserien, Sweden's top professional hockey league. In part due to the increased competition brought about by the influx of NHL players into the league (as a result of the 2004–05 NHL lockout), Bäckström was unable to record a point.

In his second season, 2005–06, Bäckström's numbers greatly improved, posting 26 points (10 goals and 16 assists) in 46 games, including a goal in four playoff games. Quickly becoming a first-line centre and a top player on the team, he was named both the Elitserien Rookie of the Year as well as the Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year for the first of two times (other notable players to win the latter include Peter Forsberg, Henrik Lundqvist, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Niklas Kronwall).[5]

Following his successful campaign, Bäckström was drafted fourth overall by the Washington Capitals at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, but announced on 10 July 2006, that he would wait a year before leaving Sweden to play in the NHL. His selection made him the fourth-highest drafted Swede at the time, after Mats Sundin (first), Daniel Sedin (second) and Henrik Sedin (third).

In his third and last season with Brynäs, in 2006–07, Bäckström's development had continued, and he saw improvements in points (12 goals and 28 assists) despite playing in one less game than the previous season. He also improved in post-season play, and was able to record six points (three goals three assists) in seven playoff games.

Lindsay Czarniak interviews Bäckström at the press conference announcing his signing with the Capitals in May 2007

On 21 May 2007, Bäckström signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals to begin playing during the 2007–08 season. His development and impressive play led some, such as HockeysFuture.com, which ranks NHL prospects, to consider him the most talented Swedish prospect in recent history. Drawing comparisons to Peter Forsberg, he was noted primarily for his vision, passing and ability to maintain possession of the puck in traffic.[6] For these reasons, he was expected to be a catalyst on the team's power play, and his defensive prowess and puck movement would make him an equally valuable asset when short-handed. On 5 October 2007, he scored his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by fellow Swede Michael Nylander, against the Atlanta Thrashers. While Bäckström was decent early in his first season, still adjusting to the smaller ice rinks of North America, his season rapidly improved once an injury to centre Michael Nylander promoted him to Washington's first line. Playing alongside Alexander Ovechkin, Bäckström set NHL and team records while helping Ovechkin win the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.

Playing on the Capitals' top line, Bäckström would finish his rookie campaign with 69 points (14 goals and 55 assists), with three goals and 22 assists on the power play. For his play, he was named runner-up to the Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane for the 2007–08 Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the League's top rookie of the season (Kane had 1,087 votes to Bäckström's 872). The Blackhawks' other star rookie, Jonathan Toews, placed third in votes with 647. Despite missing out on the award, Bäckström was named to the All-Rookie Team along with Kane and Toews.[7]

Bäckström with the Capitals in January 2009, during his second season in the NHL

In his second NHL season, 2008–09, Bäckström would go on to lead both the Capitals and all Swedish NHL players with 66 assists, also adding 22 goals, for 88 total points, placing him within the top ten NHL scorers for the year. Bäckström would again prove to be a force in the Stanley Cup playoffs, tallying 15 points in 14 games as Washington eventually fell to the future Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Following the 2009 playoffs, Bäckström was awarded the Viking Award as the top Swedish-born player during the 2008–09 season. He became only the second Capital to ever win the award, following Calle Johansson, who won the award in 1991–92.

At the conclusion of the 2009–10 regular season, Bäckström finished fourth in NHL scoring with 101 points, behind Henrik Sedin (112), Sidney Crosby (109) and teammate Alexander Ovechkin (109). Bäckström scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff hat-trick, including the overtime game-winner, against the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, a series Washington ultimately lost in seven games. On 17 May, shortly after the end of the Capitals' season, Bäckström signed a ten-year, $67 million contract extension with the team.[8]

At the conclusion of the 2010–11 season, Bäckström scored 65 points, his lowest single-season point total in the NHL.

On 17 April 2012, Bäckström received a one-game suspension for a cross-check to the head of Boston Bruins forward Rich Peverley.[9]

Bäckström in October 2012. He played with Dynamo Moscow during the 2012–13 NHL lockout

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Bäckström played for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). On 18 October 2012, he signed with the Russian club, with whom his linemate Alexander Ovechkin had also signed for, for the duration of the 2012–13 lockout.[10] Originally given the jersey number 99, he requested to change to a different number out of respect to Wayne Gretzky and was given number 69 by the club.[11] Bäckström later returned to finish third in the NHL with 40 assists during the shortened 2012–13 season.

During the 2014–15 season, on 13 December 2014, Bäckström scored his first regular season NHL hat-trick in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.[12] On 15 March 2015, in a game against the Boston Bruins, he became the Capitals' all-time franchise leader in assists, surpassing both Alexander Ovechkin and Michal Pivoňka after recording two in the game.[13] Bäckström finished the season leading the NHL with 60 assists, including 33 on Ovechkin's League-leading 53 goals; Bäckström also finished the year with 78 points, sixth-best in the NHL.[14] On 27 May, Bäckström had successful arthroscopic hip surgery, with Capitals management expectant of a full recovery prior to the beginning of the 2015–16 season,[15] during which he recorded 20 goals and 50 assists as the Capitals were the best team overall during the regular season, and was selected for his first All-Star Game.

Bäckström warming-up with the Capitals during the 2015–16 season.

Bäckström, third on his team with 50 assists during the 2017–18 season, was third on the team with 10 assists during the playoffs, despite playing with an injury to his hand that kept him out of the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Capitals announced before Game 4 that he would be back in the lineup for Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.[16][17] He left during Game 5 and missed the Game 6 victory in Pittsburgh.[16]

Bäckström reached and surpassed 600 assists in a 23 October 2018 game against the Vancouver Canucks, and became the 87th player in NHL history to reach this mark. A pre-game ceremony was held for Bäckström for reaching 600 career assists on 7 November 2018, before the Capitals' game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.[18][19] In a 4–1 win against the New York Islanders on 26 November, Bäckström recorded three assists and moved to the second place on the Capitals' all-time points list, passing Peter Bondra.[20] In his next game, on 30 November, versus the New Jersey Devils, Bäckström scored his second career regular season hat-trick.[21] On 11 December, Bäckström had his 12th career four-assist game in a 6–2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, tying him with Gilbert Perreault for eighth in NHL history.[22]

On 14 January 2020, the Capitals signed Bäckström to a five-year, $46 million contract extension.[23]

Bäckström reached 700 career assists on 5 March 2021, in a 5–1 loss to the Boston Bruins. The assist made him the third active NHL player with 700 assists, along with Joe Thornton and Sidney Crosby.[24]

Bäckström scored his 1,000th career point on 9 March 2022 on an assist to T. J. Oshie against the Edmonton Oilers, becoming only the second player in Capitals history to reach that threshold after Ovechkin.[25] On 18 June 2022, it was announced that Bäckström had undergone hip resurfacing surgery on his left hip, and was expected to be out for the start of the following season.[26]

Bold indicates led league