Top 3 highest paid players in Capitals history

#2 Nicklas Backstrom

Back when the Caps extended Nicklas Backstrom in January of 2020, it looked like a good decision. It was a chance for the core to continue to run it back and get one more jab at the Cup.

Now though, it might’ve come back to hurt them.

Backstrom undergoing rehab from hip surgery means he won’t be around for the foreseeable future but he hopes to play later on this season.

But this was a good payday for Backstrom who has served as a right hand man to Alex Ovechkin for many years. Nobody passes the puck like Backstrom and he’s an elite playmaker.

But this contract we’re talking about isn’t the five year, $46 million contract. This contract we’re talking about was the 10 year, $67 million that he signed in 2009.

Last season he recorded his 1,000th career point. The season before that he played in his 1,000th game. Although he spent last season hurt most of the year, Backstrom made the most of those two contracts and had at least 50 assists every season from 2013-14 to 2018-19.

Last season Backstrom had six goals and 25 assists for 31 points in just 47 games played. His best season came in the first year of that big payday in 2009 where he had 33 goals and 68 assists for 101 points.