About to enter his 12th season with the Caps, the fourth-overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft has paid back Washington their investment in spades. Backstrom turns 31 in November and has donned the uniform in 815 regular-season games. Not shabby.
He is a passing machine. Backstrom’s 0.72 assists-per-game is second among active players. Only Sidney Crosby dishes out a higher average. All-time Backstrom ranks 18th, wedged between Ray Bourque and Denis Savard. That is higher than playmakers Bryan Trottier, Steve Yzerman and Denis Potvin.
Seven times, Backstrom finished in the NHL top 10 in assists.