FILE PHOTO: Jan 7, 2020; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) skates with the puck against the Ottawa Senators during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals re-signed center Nicklas Backstrom to a five-year, $56 million contract on Monday.
He was in the final year of a 10-year, $67 million deal signed in 2010. The new agreement carries an average annual value of $9.2 million.
Backstrom, 32, is the franchise’s all-time leader in assists (668) and trails only teammate Alex Ovechkin (1,255) in points (908). The Capitals won the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
“I’m really excited to be here for another five years,” Backstrom said in a video posted to the team’s official Twitter account. “Fans, you guys have been treating me and my family great. I want to say ‘Thanks’ to the organization as well. They believe in me and they’ve been treating me great since I got here, too. Let’s go win some more championships.”
Backstrom is the only active NHL player with at least 50 assists in each of the last six seasons.
He has 26 assists and nine goals in 39 games entering Thursday’s home game against the New Jersey Devils.
Drafted fourth overall by Washington in 2006, the Swedish star has scored 240 goals in 934 games since making his debut in 2007-08.
Backstrom also has 106 points (36 goals, 70 assists) in 123 playoff games.
—Field Level Media