While Alex Ovechkin and his 400 career goals get the lion's share of the spotlight in Washington, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom continues to quietly demonstrate that he might just be the most important player on that team.
Defenseman John Carlson calls Backstrom “the quarterback of everything - he controls so much on the ice that people don’t even see.” Further to that, Jason Chimera told the Washington Post Backstrom is "probably the most important guy on the team.”
I think he’s closest to one of the best players in the league, if not the best. He doesn’t just set up the offense, pass and score. Nickie blocks shots, penalty kills, plays on the power play.
After a four assist game Friday against the Hurricanes, Backstrom has registered 16 points in his last seven games, and leads the NHL in assists with 33.
Drafted fourth overall in the 2006 NHL Draft - behind only Erik Johnson, Jordan Staal and Jonathan Toews - the 26-year old has amassed 117 goals and 339 assists in 448 career games. In relation to Washington's de facto superstar, Backstrom has assisted on 130 of Ovechkin's 400 career goals, including one on the milestone tally against Carolina.
For his part, Backstrom credits his success to being one step ahead: "Usually when I get the puck I want to know what I'm going to do with it once I get it." And while the regular season success is nice, he admits that playoff success and a Stanley Cup is what he's really after.
"It’s the only thing I play for,” he said. “It’s the only thing we should all play for."
