Backstrom's future for Capitals unclear after playoff loss due to injury
Hip surgery among options for center; Wilson could have procedure to repair left knee
Surgery and further rehab are among the options the center is considering after his hip continued to bother him this season, which ended Friday when the Capitals were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
"Obviously we'll see what's going to happen," Backstrom said Sunday. "We have some decisions to make. Those decisions aren't finalized yet, so we'll take it day by day."
Tom Wilson also could have surgery after a left knee injury sustained during Game 1 sidelined the forward for the remainder of the best-of-7 series.
"I have a pretty significant injury," Wilson said. "I've got to talk to the doctors. We've obviously been talking quite a bit, but the focus was on the team. We're digesting all this right now."
General manager Brian MacLellan said Wilson would have been unable to play if the Capitals had advanced in the playoffs and a decision will be made in the next two days about whether he'll have surgery. MacLellan said Wilson likely will be ready for the start of next season but is unsure about Backstrom. The 34-year-old had hip surgery in 2015 and it began to bother him again late last season. He opted not to have surgery last offseason but missed the first 28 games of the regular season while rehabbing.
After returning, Backstrom scored 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in 47 regular-season games and six points (two goals, four assists) in six playoff games, but went through a daily process with trainers to be able to play that MacLellan said probably isn't sustainable.
"No, I don't think so," MacLellan said. "Not the way it is. It's hard for him to play."
When asked if it's possible Backstrom won't be able to resume playing, MacLellan avoided answering directly and said, "I think he's going to explore all options here. He wants it to be better. He wants to be more physically comfortable when he plays, so he's going to explore it."
Backstrom made it clear he wants to continue playing, but what happens with his hip is unclear. He is second in Capitals history with 1,011 points (264 goals, 747 assists) in 1,058 regular-season games in 15 NHL seasons.
"The hip is not going to be 100 percent," Backstrom said. "That's something we all know. Some days are good, some days are less good. That's just life. … The best thing I want to do is play hockey, and that's my life. Obviously I want to be back. I want to be back to normal, not worrying about this. We'll see what's going to happen. Nothing is finalized yet."
Carl Hagelin's future also is uncertain because of a left eye injury the forward sustained when he was struck with a stick blade during practice March 1. Hagelin said the choroid in the back of his eye was ruptured and doctors initially considered removing it.
Though Hagelin's prognosis is better after having two surgeries, he said he never will regain full vision in the eye. He is working with a therapist to help improve it.
"I'm doing everything I can to be back next year," Hagelin said. "Still, I had two procedures so far and the second one was almost a month ago. A month on Friday, so it's still in that time zone of healing and kind of not sure where it's going to end up. But I'm staying positive and I'm optimistic that I'm going to come back next year."
The positive news for the Capitals is that Alex Ovechkin will not require surgery for a left shoulder injury the forward played through during the playoffs after he missed the final three regular-season games. Washington's captain scored six points (one goal, five assists) in the first round.
"It's obviously not a secret that I hit the boards and hit my shoulder, but in the playoffs I don't think it matters," Ovechkin said. " … "Obviously we did some things to help it out and I was fine."
MacLellan said the Capitals' priority for the offseason will be to explore adding a veteran goalie because of the inconsistency of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek this season. Vanecek started the first two games against the Panthers and was 1-1 with a 4.21 goals-against average and .863 save percentage. Samsonov started the last four and was 1-3 with a 2.97 GAA and .912 save percentage.
Samsonov, 25, and Vanecek, 26, each can become an restricted free agent with arbitration rights this offseason. MacLellan left the door open for each to return but wants to first look at goalies who will be available through unrestricted free agency and potential trades.
"I think the goalie decision is going to be our first one," MacLellan said. "And then we're going to go from there after that, depending on how much money we have."
