The Washington Capitals announced on Saturday afternoon that center Nicklas Backstrom underwent resurfacing surgery on his left hip on Friday. The surgery was performed at the ANCA Clinic in Belgium.
#Caps center Nicklas Backstrom underwent left hip resurfacing surgery on Friday. The surgery was performed at the ANCA Clinic in Belgium. Backstrom will begin his rehabilitation and lengthy recovery process immediately.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) June 18, 2022
The team did not provide an estimated recovery time for Backstrom, who missed half of the 2021-22 season with the injured left hip. Backstrom discussed his injury on Capitals breakdown day in May.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, hip resurfacing is a form of hip replacement surgery. It uses implants to ease hip pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis and other conditions. The implants take the place of damaged tissue and bone, allowing for more fluid movement.
According to Frank Seravalli, Ryan Kesler underwent the same surgery in 2019 and never played again. Ed Jovanovski was first to do it in 2013. It took him a full year to rehab, played 37 games and retired.
“In the beginning, when I came back last winter, it went well. When it gets more intense, it’s hard. I’ve had a bad hip for eight years but it has been possible to play and there is something positive about that,” said Backstrom in an interview with GD.se.
Backstrom originally underwent his first surgery on May 27, 2015. “I had surgery many years ago, but I will not do that kind of surgery again in that way. There are some things we will test. We’ll see what happens,” said Backstrom earlier this week in Sweden.
Backstrom said the reason he wants to continue his NHL career is very simple.
“The desire to win! I want to win. And I want to be able to decide for myself when I should quit and not be forced to quit due to injuries.”
Crap.
Best wishes, Nicky! Get well soon.
How are they doing now that their careers are over?
Good question, will try to research that.
Best wishes, Nick! Hope you’re back to full power asap.
He’ll miss the season I think. Unless they are sure Lappy or McMike can play full time 2 nd line center, they better make sure to sign a top free agent. You can’t fool around or have an uncertain player there if you want any shot in the playoffs. Kadri, Trocheck, Strome have to be targets to sign I hope. They can’t bank on Backy even next year and how effective will he be? Maybe 3rd line center? But I’d expect McMichael to have a stranglehold on 3C by then…
Question: why waste the money on a “top free agent” just to go out in the first round again? There are more problems with this team than just replacing the 2C. Wishing Backy a good surgery and healthy recovery but the game moves on. I can see coming back from 1 hip surgery but 2? Would much rather see them draftplayers and develop them as this team is heading for a BIG rebuild in 2-4 years if they dont. Lets see what Lapierre, Pinho, Pilon, Protas, Malenstyn, Gerisch and leason can do before going out and spending money that really isnt there. Maybe trade a Sammy or a Carlson for a pick and a #2 or 3 center and let Eller play the #2C while McMichael and Lapierre learn the position in the NHL Yes all the guys I suggested are young but you cant always plug in an older player with a large salary as you also have to look at the salary cap. YOu will be without Backy AND Wilson for most or all of next season and what do you do with that salary when they come back? Cant go over the cap so do you play with 22 or 21 players, cut or do what the Caps have done in the past trade a player to get under the cap and then realize that he was of use here; speaking of Stephenson and Siegenthaler. Sorry to say this but the Caps GM have screwed this team for years just to keep them in the playoffs and go out in the first round by trading away young players to get older higher priced players or worse trading picks. Maybe its time to replace the GM withsomeone younger and of a different mind to rebuild this team. IF the rebuild does not start soon then either you are going to have players retire or move on for money reasons and this team is not prepared for that to happen in 2-4 years and then hit rock bottom for several years or maybe as long as 6 or 7.
I want to bring in youth but it is going to be a mix and we have plenty of Cap space. If we keep Eller, then we probably don’t need to sign a center. But I’d like to trade Eller (3C), and let McMichael take that spot full time next year. Then you sign Stome or Trochet who can play center or RW. I also like Kadri who brings some nasty but is older so can probably be signed to a 2-year deal but won’t play wing.
Then while Wilson is out there will be extended opportunities for Leason, Protas, and Pilon at RW. We’ll also get Snively and AJF getting minutes at LW. Then add LuJo and Alexeyv on dee so that is a lot of youth in the lineup next year. And a lot of change.
Wow, did not expect this decision so soon after his commented reported yesterday. Day before? Recently.
I believe that we are in a Kuch condition at best. Hold Nicky out for the entire season and see if he can play again in the playoffs. Then more rest and rehab over the summer and then try again when season starts in 23.
Jon, knowing this now, what moves do you expect from the Caps? Need a replacement for at least part of the season and may or may not free up a lot of salary under that cap.
Osteoarthritis is painful I have it in several joints. You have good days and bad. Though I can lift more in my mid 50s then in my mid 20s the body just can’t take the wear and tear. Best wishes Nick.
Wow…all the best to Nicky for a good outcome. He is one of my fave players in the Ovi era, I really like his quiet professionalism. But really, this is about his life away from the professional life. Despite his love for the game and desire to continue to play professionally, to me, hockey is secondary; more important is his overall health to be mobile and enjoy activities with his family. this was kind of a shocking bit of news that he went ahead with it after the last article we just read, so hopefully, this particular procedure and recovery will be less grueling than his initial one. Get well soon, Nicky!
Malkin
I believe if you listened closely in operating room,that hum in background was “fat lady” warming up!
You had good run Nick but we all know sometimes it’s better to pee on the fire & call it a day!