Ovechkin goal chase fun to watch, Backstrom says

ARLINGTON, Va. – In a perfect world, Nicklas Backstrom still would be riding shotgun alongside Alex Ovechkin, setting up his longtime Washington Capitals linemate’s next goal during his inexorable march toward breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.

Lingering issues with Backstrom’s left hip, on which he had resurfacing surgery in 2022, have prevented him from playing since Oct. 29, 2023. That’s turned Backstrom into a spectator, mostly quietly rooting Ovechkin on as he closes in on history, needing seven goals to surpass Gretzky’s total of 894 heading into the Capitals game at the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, MNMT).

“It’s pretty incredible if you look at it,” Backstrom said during a media availability Friday. “I think we all thought maybe it was going to be a little setback when he got hurt there midseason (a fractured left fibula that caused Ovechkin to miss 16 games), but it’s so impressive. He’s always been a great goal-scorer, and for him to be able to be seven goals away from becoming the greatest of all-time, I’m happy for him. It’s really fun to watch.”

The Capitals’ all-time leader with 762 assists, Backstrom has had as big a hand in Ovechkin getting this far as anyone. As Ovechkin’s center for much of their 17 seasons as teammates, Backstrom assisted on 279 of his 888 goals (31.4 percent).

So it’s understandable that Backstrom feels he’s missing out not being able to help Ovechkin get over the finish line in his chase of Gretzky.

“A hundred percent,” Backstrom said. “I would love to be part of it.”

Ovechkin and Backstrom have been linked since the moment the Capitals had Ovechkin go to the podium in Vancouver to announce they had selected Backstrom with the No. 4 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. Together they helped Washington grow into a perennial powerhouse that qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 15 of their 17 seasons together, won the Presidents’ Trophy as the top regular-season team in the NHL three times (2010, 2016, 2017) and finally broke through to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2018.

“It was a pretty special moment when we won together there, and we realized that,” Backstrom said of the Capitals’ championship-clinching win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. “Back then, to people outside, it looked like a happy moment. It was more like a relief, I think, for both of us and just being like, ‘Finally, we got it done.'”

There was undeniable chemistry between Backstrom and Ovechkin from the moment then-Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau put them on the same line during Backstrom’s rookie season of 2007-08.

Backstrom views himself as more of a passenger on the ride than an invaluable contributor to Ovechkin’s drive toward the goal record, though.

“Obviously, this is all him,” he said. “I’m not going to take any credit for that.”

Still, somebody had to get the puck to Ovechkin and Backstrom was one of the best passers of his era. From 2007-08 through 2021-22, when Backstrom’s hip began to impact his play, no NHL player had more than his 722 assists.

“I get that, but I’m not going to take away his moment to shine,” Backstrom said. “I just think I’ve been very fortunate to be, first of all, playing for the same organization for many years and playing with him. I think I should probably thank Bruce Boudreau for putting us together.”

Backstrom joked that his biggest takeaway from his time playing with Ovechkin was, “probably explaining to him that he wasn’t always open.”

“But he wanted the puck the whole time,” Backstrom said. “I honestly think that the first time when we started playing with each other, I just think that we were a good match. I was more of a playmaker and he was a goal-scorer, so I just think that it was a good matchup.”

Backstrom said he first began to think Ovechkin had a realistic chance to catch Gretzky, “maybe four years ago.”

“And I always said that if there’s any guy that could do it, it’s him,” Backstrom said. "He’s capable of it, and we’re seeing right now he’s sitting here seven goals away and he’s going to do it. So, it’s just a matter of time. That’s the kind of goal-scorer he is.”

The Capitals have 12 games remaining for Ovechkin to break the record this season. Whenever he does it, Backstrom plans to be there, whether it’s at home or on the road.

With 35 goals in 54 games this season, Ovechkin has a goal-per-game rate of 0.65 that has him on pace to score his 895th goal in the Capitals’ final home game of the season, against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 13. Ovechkin’s career average of 0.60 goals per game (888 goals in 1,480 games) puts him on pace to break the record in the Capitals’ penultimate game of the season, at the New York Islanders on April 15.

Backstrom said he hasn’t worked out the details with the Capitals yet about how many goals away from the record Ovechkin would need to be before he begins to travel with them.

“We’re going to talk about that later,” Backstrom said. “But as we all know, he can score a hat trick when he wants. So, soon, I think.”

In the meantime, Backstrom will continue to watch with his 7-year-old son, Vince, who apparently is a more demonstrative rooter than his father.

“He’s doing the fist bumps and standing and cheering and I’m just in the background looking,” Backstrom said. “But inside, obviously, really happy when he gets closer. And we’ll see. Maybe I’ll do a cheer when it happens that day.”