After playing two seasons ago for the Washington Capitals, it seems that hockey just finds its way back to Nicklas Backstrom’s path as he now makes his return to the sport following his homecoming to native Sweden in search of a new chance to play in the closing years of his legendary hockey career.

Backstrom has signed a deal with Brynas of the Swedish Hockey League earlier on Monday, bringing himself back into yet another top hockey league. So far, it seems that there are a lot of expectations as he is still a relatively great player in his own right. But then again, he’s already 37 and has logged 18 years in his run with the Capitals.

It can be remembered that Backstrom last played in a Capitals uniform in October 2023, where he skated for 12:24 in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in front of Capitals fans at the Capital One Arena. He would then go on to announce his time away from hockey as he wanted to deal with his ongoing injury situation at the time. Eventually, the Capitals let go of him and it was closely hinted that the former star would then be moving towards retirement, only to break news of a signing in Sweden.

Looking Back

Backstrom had surgery on his left hip, and it continued to resurface over the years. He initially played well in the 2020s, but knew that his hip was not feeling the same way as it was back then, which says a lot about how his condition worsened over time, leading to his move away from the game.

"It's been a couple of tough years in terms of injuries, but now my body feels great, I've been on the ice all summer and I feel really excited to take on this task," Backstrom said. "When you're in an injury period, everything is not always obvious, but we've made this decision together with my family and I'm very excited.”

With his injury in consideration, Backstrom walked away from a deal that had two seasons left from his five-year, $46 million contract. He signed that deal in 2020, a time when he was on long-term injury reserve. That hip had its initial surgey in 2015 and has often become an issue in his games.

A Twilight Run for Backstrom

The Capitals congratulated Backstrom in their social media post, saying that they are sending their best wishes and looks back to his time with the squad, which has been a promising run over the years. But Backstrom’s plans of playing for one more team in Sweden definitely was locked in.

"I've always felt like a return to Brynas was in the cards should the opportunity present itself," Backstrom said. "That's been a drive of mine, to be able to return and play for Brynas. I've spent the past two years away from the game, focusing mostly on rehabbing my injury, so I feel incredibly energized and excited to get back on the ice and help the team achieve success.”

After 18 years and six months, Backstrom is back in a hockey uniform, and now he is going to spend the final years of his majestic career in Sweden, where he can play with his heart’s desire moving forward. That is a great closing run for such a legendary hockey player in Backstrom.