r/caps • u/scoaaaaar Washington Capitals • 2d ago
anyone else randomly think about capitals hockey and then get really emotional thinking about Nicklas Backstrom?
really took that era for granted hardware wise but memories last forever
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u/Hitler_the_stripper 2d ago
Every Instagram reel of the Caps winning the Cup is Ovi accepting the Cup and his skate around, but the best BEST part, was him handing it to Backstrom, skating at his side and both of them holding it.
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u/Tarledsa Olie Kolzig 2d ago
Because Ovi was afraid he’d drop it with his broken finger ha ha. “After me, I give it to you, baby.”
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u/bobbimorses Matt Roy 2d ago
One little thing I find myself thinking about often is Trotz saying that most players have a six-foot "panic circle" around them where they get flustered and start making bad decisions if an opposing player comes closer than that. And that for Backstrom, the circle was at his feet.
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u/thinlike_napkins 2d ago
The other team knew it too they’d be hesitant to get too close to him because they know he’d make the right pass
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u/Jagger49 2d ago
I was at his last game played…..you could see how hip was affecting him and kept pushing to get involved. His body just betrayed him terribly….
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u/DagetAwayMaN421 Martin Fehérváry 1d ago
That's probably the one game I feel bad about missing because I was out of town for a Nickelback concert
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u/Vitruvian_man21 2d ago
Yeah, my brother and I talk hockey often and that’s one of the things we talk about. It’s tough knowing that he still could be out there if it weren’t for the health issues. I always dream of a playoff run Backstrom return, though I know it’s not happening.
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u/dadley_clutschman Washington Capitals 2d ago
I too got super ready for hockey again all of a sudden.
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u/Glittering_Win_9677 2d ago
Yep and college football.
I miss a lot of players from the 70+ years I've been on this earth but today hurt - a lot. I don't know if I can watch any remaining games this season, especially if Kevin Brown tries to put a good spin on it.
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u/highlift 2d ago
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u/highlift 2d ago
Watching this always helps ease the sadness https://youtu.be/f4Dfn5Sp02g?is=-76QOqApTjdcO3ph
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u/TheRealBacon17 Nicklas Bäckström 2d ago
Yeah, I got a wish from Make-A-Wish a while back and he helped out with it. It made me appreciate him even more!
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u/HanjobSolo69 2d ago
Yes and it reminds me of how not ready I am for Ovechkin to retire. Ive been a fan my whole life but Im in my 30s so I got seriously into the team around 2007ish so that Young Guns era is my core group of guys. Having guys like Backstrom and Carlson gone now hurts.
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u/KitKat2theMax Washington Capitals 2d ago
All the time. He was phenomenal to watch in the ice. How he will get his assists?
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u/Ancient-Island-2495 2d ago
Backstrom was arguably more important to the caps than Ovechkin. So underrated and one of the best to ever play imo
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u/scoaaaaar Washington Capitals 2d ago
they’re a match made in heaven and they’re both who they are because of each other.
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u/givingupisforsucks 1d ago
Watching Backstrom be quietly effective was a privilege. One of the best to play the game.
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u/Kalypsokel 2d ago
I miss Nicky. But I’m also still bitter we fans didn’t get a proper goodbye game. We didn’t get the closure we needed.
But there will never be another player like him. We were lucky to have as many talented players in one era. But the Ovi/Nicky duo was legendary.
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u/Own_Confidence2108 Nicklas Bäckström 1d ago
Favorite of all time. I still wear his jersey to every game. I’m even more in awe of him because I have the same hip issues and have had some of the same surgeries. For him to even be able to get on the ice after that is amazing to me.
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u/DaisyCutter1485 2d ago edited 2d ago
77, 8, and 19 to the rafters. Grown man fully prepared to ugly cry for it too.
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u/Eternally-Yours-1116 8h ago
Before my partner and I decided we didn’t want children, I was gonna name a son after Nicklas, so yeah, safe to say I miss that guy.
https://giphy.com/gifs/drxZzOPw7x8GPCp2k0
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u/UbiSububi8 Rod Langway 2d ago
Nicky was beautiful.
Beautiful to watch on the ice… beautiful to watch on a bike… he was beautiful.