The Washington Capitals are gearing up for a Thanksgiving Eve matchup with the Buffalo Sabres. After a day off Sunday, they had practice yesterday and today. Tuesday’s practice was attended by DMV native and tennis star Francis Tiafoe.
Major tournament on ice when? pic.twitter.com/u439VvbtRX
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 21, 2023
Real quickly before we get into the five things we’re grateful for as a Capitals fan, let’s get into the practice news. Alex Ovechkin left practice but don’t freak out because it was only for a short time and then he came back onto the ice. Evgeny Kuznetsov was a full go in practice after missing the last game due to an illness. He should be good to go tomorrow.
Now let’s break down the five things we’re grateful for:
#5 Nicklas Backstrom
We’ll start this off with an appreciation of Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom. He’s done a lot for the organization but his unfortunate hip injury caught up to him as he’s stepped away from the game. This season may have possibly been the last time we’ll see him on the ice.
If this is truly the end, Backstrom leaves behind a legacy. With 271 goals, 762 assists, and 1,033 points in 1,105 career games, Backstrom is second in the franchise in games played and points as well as the all time assists leader.