Nicklas Backstrom To Miss Large Chunk Of Next Season

The Washington Capitals have announced that 15-year veteran Nicklas Backstrom had major hip surgery on Friday and faces "a lengthy recovery."

#Caps center Nicklas Backstrom underwent left hip resurfacing surgery on Friday. The surgery was performed at the ANCA Clinic in Belgium. Backstrom will begin his rehabilitation and lengthy recovery process immediately.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) June 18, 2022

The procedure is known as hip resurfacing surgery. According to the Washington Post, it involves removing damaged bone and shaving and reshaping what is left before placing a metal cap on top to cover the bone.

The 34-year-old has been laboring with the bad hip for quite some time. He played in just 47 games for the Capitals this past season after missing the first two months due to the nagging injury. He never quite looked at full strength even after his return.

Backstrom previously had hip surgery in 2015, and it flared up again at the end of the 2020-21 season. He admitted last month that his hip will “never be 100 percent” again.

He finished the season with just 6 goals and 31 points. He's averaged just shy of a point-per-game in his 15 years in Washington, registering 264 goals, 747 assists and 1,011 points in his 1,058 games played.

Insider Frank Seravalli notes that it's possible that Backstrom "may not be able to make it back to the NHL."

If Nicklas Backstrom never plays again, it was one heck of a career. Should go down as one of the best passers of our game. 747 of his 1011 points were apples.

Hope he can be an incredible comeback story.
— Kyle Cannillo (@KyleCannillo) June 18, 2022