Washington Capitals middle Nicklas Backstrom is taking a depart of absence from the group due to what he known as an “ongoing injury situation” after a sluggish begin to the season on his synthetic left hip.

“I decided to take some time and step away from the game. This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time,” Backstrom stated in an announcement launched Wednesday by the Capitals.

He stated he must “determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”

Backstrom, Washington’s profession chief in assists, had hip resurfacing surgical procedure in the summertime of 2022 to deal with a continual harm that had bothered him for years. He returned to the group in January, performed the rest of final season and got here to coaching camp insisting he was wholesome and good to go.

The Swede, who turns 36 this month, had only one level in eight video games to this point this season. Washington is 4-3-1 heading into its recreation Thursday towards the visiting New York Islanders.

“We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process. We know firsthand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health,” Capitals normal supervisor Brian MacLellan stated. “Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation.”

Backstrom has 271 objectives and 762 assists in 1,105 NHL video games, all with Washington, which drafted him within the first spherical in 2006. He and Alex Ovechkin turned one of many prime ahead duos within the league and helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018.

First-year coach Spencer Carbery stated it was troublesome to look at Backstrom inform the group he was stepping away.

“You can tell he wants to continue to play and wants to be there for them right now and be battling through, but he just physically can’t right now,” Carbery stated. “When you see someone describing that to their brothers, it tugs at your heart of how much it means to him and how much all his teammates mean to him, so it was difficult.”

Backstrom was simply the second NHL participant to come back again from the operation. Winger Patrick Kane is trying to turn into the third.

Capitals defenseman John Carlson stated of Backstrom: “We’re supporting him, following whatever is going make him happy and however he feels that is going to make his body feel the best, and that’s the decision that he makes.”

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