1. Nick Backstrom - 2005 (1st Round, 4th overall)
Nick Backstrom was the best center the Capitals ever drafted. “Backy” led the Capitals in assists each year, played a great two-way game, and was "the straw that stirred the drink" for the Capitals most evenings. His calm demeanor and pinpoint passing made him hard to defend, and made the Caps powerplay lethal for over a decade. BAckstrom flew under the radar, taking pride in setting up his teammates with perfectly placed passes. He took advantage of Ovechkin's presence on the ice, using the extra space on the ice to set up teammates or snap a quick wrister past an unexpecting goaltender. When the Capitals won the 2018 Stanley Cup, Backstrom played with a fractured finger that required off-season surgery. Still, he finished 3rd in playoff scoring with 23 points and 2nd in assists with 18, two behind Kuzy, in 20 games.
Backstrom’s suffered a hip injury that would eventually lead to his retirement from the NHL after the 2024-25 season. Backstrom scored 271 goals and 762 assists for 1033 career points in 1105 games. He ranks 47th all-time in NHL assists, and has more assists than anyone else in Capitals history. Still, he could also score goals.
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