The Noon Countdown: Apples of our Eye

Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images8 - Number of days remaining until the start of the Capitals’ 2021-22 season. But it’s also...

...the number of multi-assist games for Nicklas Backstrom last season, most among all Capitals in 2020-21.

Only Sidney Crosby (173) has more multi-assist games than Backstrom’s 161 since Backstrom made his NHL debut back in 2007-08; bump it up to three or more assists in a game, and Backstrom moves into a narrow lead, putting up at least three assists 44 times to Crosby’s 43.