Nicklas Backstrom Awards Annual Scholarships

Photo:Amelia Mauritzon

Washington Capitals centerman Nicklas Bäckström awarded his annual scholarships in his home country of Sweden on Wednesday. Bäckström has awarded his scholarship every year since 2010.

The awards go to the ninth graders at Sofiedalskolan who have excelled both in sports and in the classroom. The scholarship recipients are selected by physical education teachers at the school. 13 years ago, the first Nicklas Bäckström scholarship was awarded to a girl and a boy at Sofiedal School. This year, for the first time, it was awarded to two girls and two boys.

The award was presented at the Valbo HC facilities, Bäckström’s former youth hockey organization. Valbo HC plays all of their home games at NickBack Arena, which is named after Backstrom, who assumed arena sponsorship on August 28th, 2011. NickBack Arena is also the site of the annual Nicklas Backstrom Cup, held each summer for under 16 hockey players in the Gavle area.

Backstrom has been a consistent supporter of hockey and scholastics in his home country. He donated his entire bonus check that he received from Team Sweden for winning the goal medal in the 2017 World Championship (more here) to the Valbo Hockey Club.

The Valbo HC is located in Valbo, Sweden, about 5 miles southwest of Backstrom’s hometown of Gavle, Sweden. Valbo plays in the Swedish Division 2, the fourth level of ice hockey in Sweden. Backstrom started his ice hockey career in Valbo AIF, now known as Valbo HC.

By Jon Sorensen