Why former Capitals star Nicklas Bäckstrom wasn’t ready to give up on hockey
This story appeared on hockeysverige.se this week and has been translated from Swedish to English.
The day had finally arrived.
The day that had been speculated about for months – if not years – and the day Brynäs supporters had longed for for a long time. The club’s greatest NHL export of all time, Nicklas Bäckström, has once again been introduced as a Brynäs player.
The signing became official on Monday morning, with a press conference following shortly after. A number of curious supporters had gathered outside the entrance hall where the press conference took place.
Bäckström didn’t hide the fact that it was a special feeling to represent Brynäs for the first time in 18 years.
“I’m incredibly happy and excited. It feels great to be home and to get a new chance here, to play with this incredibly great team and the roster they’ve built over the last few years. I’m thankful to Brynäs for wanting me.
I’m really pumped. I was young when I went overseas, and I’m bringing back a lot of experience.”
He explains that it had basically only been him and his wife who knew about his plans to play for Brynäs, and that the thought seriously began to take root when they moved back to Sweden this summer.
“That’s when it became real, and we started talking about it. Then I’ve had a huge desire to return that’s grown stronger the more I’ve skated,” Bäckström said. “But (Brynas GM) Johan (Alcén) and I have had a dialogue going for several years. My wife is very supportive and has always said I should do what I want to do. And the kids are really excited. Their friends are Brynäs fans and they want to be too.”
The decision was made recently, and the contract was signed just a few days ago.
“I’ve always said, and I’ve been clear with Johan, that I wanted to keep skating through the summer and then make a decision. But it’s grown gradually over time, and I made the call not too long ago.”
The 37-year-old hasn’t played in almost two years after undergoing hip surgery, which led the Washington Capitals to place the star forward on long-term injured reserve. The surgery and his absence raised many questions about Bäckström’s future.
“I feel great physically,” Bäckström said. “It was a pretty complicated surgery and rehab, but over time it’s felt a lot better. Now it’s felt good for a long time. I’ve gotten the first practice out of the way and it felt perfect.
I still feel that I’m a good hockey player and I’ll contribute as much as I can. I need repetition and I’ll get that here. And then it’s a new system and a slightly bigger rink and all that, but hopefully I’ll adapt quickly.”
During the tough rehab period, it wasn’t a given that he’d be able to return. The thought that his career might be over crossed his mind.
“That thought probably popped into my head at some point. But the love for hockey and the desire to play have always been there. That’s probably why I made this decision. I’m playing for the love of the game and to be able to finish my career in Brynäs. That’s really what it’s all about.”
At today’s practice, Bäckström was on a line with former Vancouver Canuck Anton Rödin and 18-year-old youngster Leo Sundqvist – whose father Jörgen played with Nicklas Bäckström during his first stint with Brynäs.
Alcén was ecstatic to have landed such a highly regarded player.
“When it comes to hockey, words are almost unnecessary,” Alcén said. “He’s one of the greatest centers of all time. He’s also a fantastic person and a role model for everyone in and around the team. The oldest players on the team today were probably in the U18 squad when he was here last, and they had Nicklas as their idol. He represents everything we want to stand for in terms of our identity and the way we want to be.
“It feels great in every way. Once it was clear that he wanted to come home, things moved quickly. He wasn’t difficult to negotiate with.”
SPONSORED BY bet365