Seems like the NHL All-Star's head honchos are finally getting something right when it comes to our beloved Capitals! Nicklas Backstrom has earned a place on the roster for the All-Star weekend's YoungStars team (that should have been a no-brainer as the young Swede boasts 41 points in his last 29 games)!
Here's more from the team's official press release:
ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom is one of 20 NHL YoungStars invited to the 2009 NHL All-Star Weekend, the NHL announced today. Backstrom will join nine other Eastern Conference YoungStars to compete in a wide-open game of three-on-three in the NHL YoungStars Game presented by Upper Deck, Saturday, Jan. 24 at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
Backstrom, 21, was Washington’s first-round choice, fourth overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He is second on the Capitals and 11th in the league in scoring with 45 points (12 goals, 33 assists) in 41 games. His 33 assists rank first on the team and tied for fifth in the league.
A native of Gavle, Sweden, Backstrom has been especially effective since November. He has 41 points in the last 29 games (12 goals, 29 assists) and tied for the league lead with 21 points (6 goals, 15 assists) in December. In the 2008 calendar year, Backstrom ranked third in the league in assists (65) and eighth in the league in points (83).
Backstrom will be join linemate Alex Ovechkin in Montreal for the All-Star Weekend festivities, as Ovechkin will represent the Eastern Conference in his third consecutive NHL All-Star Game. This will be Backstrom’s second appearance in the NHL YoungStars Game.
Ovechkin and Backstrom could be joined by their head coach, Bruce Boudreau, in Montreal. If the Capitals win one of their two games this weekend (today vs. Columbus, Saturday at Montreal), Boudreau would clinch a spot as the Eastern Conference’s assistant coach by virtue of his team having the second-best winning percentage in the conference on Jan. 10.
So a huge Hockey Mom toast to Nick and hopefully to another Caps' win against the injury-plagued Blue Jackets tonight so we can get Gabby on the plane to Montreal for all the fun. Hey Gabby, you already are our All-Star coach!
If you haven't caught up with D.C. Sports Bog today (who by the way, has been showing the team lots of love lately), check out this snippet on the Donald trying to teach OV some fightin' moves....
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1 comment:
Good for Nicklas. He definitely deserves to be at least one of the YoungStars.
Awesome to hear that your man Brashear is learning to speak Russian, as well as other languages.
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