Nicklas Backstrom is making a comeback to his hockey career in his home country of Sweden with Brynas IF after sitting out all of last NHL season due to a persistent hip injury.
On Monday, the Swedish team announced that Backstrom has signed on to play for them this upcoming season. The 37-year-old center’s contract with the Washington Capitals ended this summer.
“I have always wanted to play for Brynas again if I got the chance,” Backstrom said in a statement about returning to the team where he began his career. “After going through rehab and being away from hockey for almost two seasons, I feel energized and ready to help the club succeed in the future.”
Backstrom had hip resurfacing surgery in June 2022 to fix a long-standing problem, and by training camp in September 2023, he stated he felt “much better.” His last appearance in an important game was on October 29, 2023. On November 1, he announced he was taking a break due to what the team called an “ongoing injury situation.”
Before this, Backstrom played over 1,200 games with the Capitals, scoring more than 1,100 points and helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2018. The Capitals released a statement thanking Backstrom and wishing him well in his future endeavors, noting that he “gave everything he had each and every day.”
