The Washington Capitals entered the 2019-20 season with two of their best players on expiring contracts. Now that number is down from two to one.
The Capitals signed center Nicklas Backstrom to a five-year, $46 million contract Tuesday, locking up one of the franchise cornerstones through his mid-30s.
Backstrom, 32, is the Capitals all-time assists leader and has scored the second-most points in a Capitals uniform behind only Alex Ovechkin. Backstrom and Ovechkin have played more than 900 games together in Washington since Backstrom was drafted fourth overall in 2006.