Capitals return 'meant the world' to Backstrom
Forward became 2nd NHL player to come back from hip resurfacing surgery
"He goes, 'Daddy, you're playing a game tonight?'" the Washington Capitals center said after returning from hip resurfacing surgery in a 1-0 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. "I was like, 'Yeah, I'm going to play.' Then he goes, 'Are you nervous?'
"So I'm like, 'Yeah, buddy, I'm nervous.'"
Backstrom's nerves were understandable, considering it was unknown whether the 35-year-old would play again when he had the surgery on his left hip on June 17 after playing through pain the previous two seasons. The only NHL player who had returned after having the surgery was defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who came back to play 37 games with the Florida Panthers in 2013-14.
Although Backstrom said he always believed he would make it back, it was emotional for him when the moment arrived.
"It meant the world," he said. "Obviously, I missed this, and with not knowing what my future was going to hold, just coming back and playing was great."
Skating on the top line with longtime running mate Alex Ovechkin on his left wing and Connor Sheary and Marcus Johansson splitting the game at right wing, Backstrom finished the game with one shot, three hits and one block in 14:03 of ice time, including 2:45 on the top power-play unit.
"Obviously, it's the first game in a couple months and it's a little tough with the breathing, but I was pretty fired up before the game," Backstrom said. "So, it was fun. We got two points, and we didn't play our best game, but we'll take it and move on."
Backstrom wasn't alone in making his season debut for the Capitals following offseason surgery. Capitals forward Tom Wilson also returned after repairing a torn ACL in his left knee on May 24.
Wilson, who played right wing on the second line with Dylan Strome and Evgeny Kuznetsov, had one shot and a team-high six hits in 14:10 of ice time.
"After an injury, it's a little bit different," Wilson said. "You're expecting your body to show up, but you never really know. I tried to put in all the work I could, and it held up. We got through it. It felt better as the game went on. The guys battled for Nicky and I to get it done."
Backstrom said he had been on schedule to return a little ahead of Wilson but was delayed after he entered COVID-19 protocol, which caused him to miss a week of skating following Christmas. Although recovering from different injuries, Backstrom and Wilson did much of their rehab side by side, including skating for the first time on Oct. 26.
As a result, Backstrom thought having Wilson return during the same game might help calm his nerves but ultimately said, "It didn't."
"I get a little nervous every game, but this was obviously something different," Backstrom said. "I haven't been this nervous before a game, I'll be honest about that."
Backstrom is one of the most accomplished players put on the Capitals' sweater. Selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, he is first in Capitals history in assists (747), second in points (1,011) and games (1,059), and was a key contributor to them winning 2018 Stanley Cup championship.
On Sunday, Backstrom and Wilson each received a loud ovation from the Capital One Arena crowd when their names were announced in the starting lineup prior to the opening face-off.
"Amazing," Backstrom said of the reception from the fans. "I couldn't ask for anything else. That was something special, that's for sure. Moments like that you're never going to forget, and it was very special."
It also meant a lot to Backstrom to have his family, including Vince, his wife, Liza, and daughters, Haley and Alizee, there to see him reach a successful end to a long road back.
"That was really special, too," he said. "They were watching the warmups and they were watching the game."
Still, Backstrom acknowledged he'll need more repetitions in practice and more games in order to get his timing down and build up his conditioning.
"It's hard to get reps with the guys, but I think in time we'll just adjust and make sure we'll get better," he said. "We talked a little bit on the be bench, me and Tom. We said the same things. Bodywise felt good, but it will be nice to get some reps and get into a routine here."
The Capitals have two days of practice before playing their next game at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, NBCSWA+, ESPN+, SN NOW).
"They came in and they had spurts that they looked good," Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. "The rest of the guys, for the most part, played half a season, and they are coming in without training camp and without normal preparation this summer, without 42 games, and they are jumping into game 43. That is not an easy task.
"I'm sure as it moves forward here everything will push and they will feel better."
