Nicklas Backstrom returns to practice

On Wednesday morning the Washington Capitals held an optional practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex before departing for New York. On Monday the team practiced with a full lineup for the first time this season. Yesterday Nicklas Backstrom skipped for personal reasons. Today he was back and one of the participants in the optional.

Head Coach Peter Laviolette said after practice yesterday that he expected Backstrom to travel with the team to New York. Daniel Sprong took over as second line center in Backstrom’s absence.

Backstrom has four goals and 14 points in 19 games after missing much of the beginning of the season with a hip injury. Last season his 53 points in 55 games led the team. He’s been a mainstay on the second line with Joe Snively and Tom Wilson as well as Alex Ovechkin and Conor Sheary.

Based on the line rushes from Tuesday’s practice it looks like Backstrom will be skating alongside Snively and Wilson. Meanwhile Anthony Mantha continued to skate in a light blue non contact jersey.

After the skate the team presented Laviolette with a silver stick for winning his 700th NHL game. It was a ceremony led by the captains Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson. Laviolette reached the mark last week in Washington’s 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators.

Laviolette is 64-30-14 since being hired by the Capitals in 2020, coaching in 108 games. In all he’s coached 1,318 games.

As far as players to watch this week when the Caps return to action be sure to keep an eye on Backstrom’s linemate Joe Snively. He’s recorded seven points with four goals and three assists through his first nine career NHL games.

He’s already one of 15 rookies in franchise history to record that many points within their first 10 career games. If he gets a point against the New York Rangers tomorrow night he would join Andre Burakovsky (2014-15) and Alex Ovechkin (2005-06) as the only Caps rookies to record at least eight points in their first 10 NHL games since 1993-94.

The Caps will hold a morning skate at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow from Madison Square Garden before taking on the Rangers that night at 7 p.m. on ESPN.