Backstrom signs for 10 years, 67 million

By: Justin Creech
The Washington Capitals locked up another key cog in the teams long term future on Monday as center Nicklas Backstrom agreed to a 10-year, $67 million dollar contract extension to remain with the Capitals through the 2019-20 season.
With two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin signed through 2020-21, the Capitals have assured themselves of having their two best players in the organization for the prime of their careers.
Backstrom is coming off a breakout season in which the Gavle, Sweden native registered a career high 101 points (33g, 68a) becoming just the fourth Capital to reach the 100-point milestone (joining Ovechkin, Dennis Maruk and Mike Gartner) and the second to record at least 30 goals and 60 assists in the same year (Maruk, 1981-82).
Backstrom also proved to be a big time player in key situations as he scored several goals at key times for the Capitals. Backstrom scored two goals and added an assist in the Capitals come from behind win over the Chicago Blackhawks on March 14. Down 3-0 entering the third period, and having already lost Ovechkin to an ejection in the first period, Backstrom scored once in the third period then scored the game winner in overtime to seal the Capitals 4-3 win.
His biggest moment, however, came in Game 2 of the Capitals’ Eastern Conference quarterfinals series with the Montreal Canadiens. Backstrom recorded his first career playoff hat trick including the game winner 31 seconds into overtime to give the Capitals a 6-5 victory.
Monday’s signing was a big move as Backstrom was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. But, it also locks up one of the league’s best young players.
At just 22, Backstrom has already surpassed the organizations expectations as he has registered 258 points in his first three seasons and has averaged 1.07 points-per-game in his first 28 playoff games. Backstrom is an elite center, and does a lot to do with Ovechkin possibly winning a third straight Hart Trophy.
The move, however, does somewhat strap the Capitals salary cap situation for the upcoming season. Along with Backstrom, the Capitals announced on Monday the signing of 2009 first-round draft pick Marcus Johansson to a three-year entry level deal for $2.7 million dollars. The Capitals are also expected to bring defensemen Karl Alzner up from the Hershey Bears, and still have to decide to do with pending restricted free agents Jeff Schultz, Erich Fehr, and Tomas Fleischmann.
All three had breakout season’s in 2009-10 as Schultz led the NHL in plus/minus with a plus-50 while Fleischmann and Fehr both finished with career highs in goals and points. Fleischmann finished with 23 goals and 51 points while Fehr finished with 21 goals and 39 points.
The most obvious of the three to return are Schultz and Fehr. Fleischmann’s production dropped significantly in the second half of the season as he scored just 16 goals in his final 60 games after scoring seven in his first nine.
Fleischmann was particularly ineffective in the playoffs as he finished with just one assist in six games, and was benched for the deciding Game 7 against the Canadiens.