Top 3 key Capitals to watch against Canadiens

#2 Nicklas Backstrom

Congratulations to Nicklas Backstrom on playing his 1,100th career game on Wednesday night against the Ottawa Senators. It’s a big accomplishment just wish they won for you instead of getting spanked 6-1.

Backstrom ranks second in franchise history in games played and has appeared in 1,100 of the Capitals 1,242 games since making his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2007. That’s 88.6 percent of their games since the opening night of the 2007-08 season.

Backstrom has recorded 1,032 points with 271 goals and 761 assists in 1,100 career games. He’s one of six active players with at least 1,100 games played and 1,000 points, joining the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Anze Kopitar, Claude Giroux, and Joe Pavelski.

Since making his NHL debut, Backstrom ranks third in the NHL in assists behind Crosby and Patrick Kane. He’s also seventh in points behind Ovechkin, Crosby, Kane, Evgeni Malkin, Kopitar, and Steven Stamkos.

The fourth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Backstrom leads that 2006 draft class in assists and points despite ranking fifth in games played. He is the Capitals franchise’s all time assists leader and has assisted on 279 of Ovechkin’s 822 career goals. That’s the most of any teammate.

Only Wayne Gretzky and Brian Trottier have more assists with a single teammate. Among active players, only Crosby has more assists.