What Needs To Go Right For The Capitals To Compete Next Season

Can Backstrom Improve

You could just stick this one in the injury department but I thought it deserved it’s own question. Nicklas Backstrom had one heck of an injury and you could definitely tell, both before and after the surgery he had it was slowing him down.

For the Capitals to return to the top of the leaguethey are going to need Backstrom to return to his former form.

Now I am not talking he needs to get back to 22 or 23-year-old Backstom, put up one hundred points and be one of the best players in the league again. But you would have to hope he can give you sixty points at the very least be a good two way center and be a difference maker most nights.

The problem with him the last few seasons was you could just see him on the ice, and he was simply too slow. You could see him trying his best, but the younger, faster guys would just get the better of him. That’s not an insult. That’s time. He was 34-35 with a bad hip injury.

The question becomes, with time continuing to go forward, not backward, how much better is that going to get? The Capitals will probably need him to step up, but can he?