Swedish center Nicklas Bäckström, 37, has signed a contract to play for Brynäs, the SHL club announced at a press conference on Monday morning. The contract is for one year plus an option.

The announcement follows weeks of speculation and on Sunday, it was widely reported to be a done deal.

Bäckström previously played for Brynäs from age 13 to 19. He has 73 points in 121 career SHL games, all for Brynäs. He last played for the Gävle-based club in 2007, the year after the Washington Capitals made him the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

“I have always felt that I would like to play for Brynäs again someday if the opportunity arose,” Bäckström is quoted. “After undergoing rehab and being away from the game for almost two seasons, I feel very charged and full of energy to contribute to the club’s future success.”

“Our wish and hope has, of course, always been to see Nicklas represent Brynäs IF again,” said club sports director Johan Alcén. “He’s indicating that he’s very motivated to be part of our journey towards future success and when I hear that, I feel joy, gratitude and pride. In addition to Nicklas being one of the world’s best centers of all time, he has a personality and leadership on and off the ice that makes him a role model for everything we want to stand for.”

It's official: Jakob Silfverberg returns to Brynäs It was <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/jakob-silfverberg-leaving-nhl-next-stop-bryn%C3%A4s">highly expected last week</a> when Jakob Silfverberg of the Anaheim Ducks announced he was leaving the NHL and now it’s official. The <a href="https://www.brynas.se/article/d8nasbz-1ekad/view">Brynäs IF website has announced</a> that the 33-year-old is coming home to the city of Gävle and the club he grew up playing for.

Bäckström has not played any competitive hockey since October 2023, when he played the first eight games of the season for the Capitals. At that point, he decided to pause his career, as his hip had not responded well to surgery in 2022, although he did not announce his retirement.

Bäckström recorded 271 goals and 762 assists for 1033 points along with 504 penalty minutes in 1105 NHL regular-season games between 2007 and 2023. He also recorded 114 points in 139 playoff games and was a major part of Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, recording 23 points in 20 playoff games that spring.

Throughout his NHL career, he usually played on a forward line as winger Alexander Ovechkin, the league’s all-time leading goal-scorer.

Internationally, Bäckström represented Sweden at one IIHF U-18 World Championship, two World Junior Championships, five senior-level World Championships – winning two gold medals – two Winter Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Former First-Rounder Kieffer Bellows Signs In Sweden American left winger Kieffer Bellows, 27, has signed a one-year contract with Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Sunday.

Despite just being promoted from the tier-two HockeyAllsvenskan last season, Brynäs finished first in the SHL regular-season standings and went all the way to the league finals, losing to Lulea in six games.

Brynäs has been busy this off-season building a team that should be again considered a front-runner for the title.

Just days ago, the Anaheim Ducks lent the team a pair of prospects – goaltender Damian Clara and forward Lucas Pettersson. The team has also signed free agent goaltender Collin Delia and former NHL first-round pick Kieffer Bellows this off-season.

Other players under contract for the coming season include Jakob Silfverberg, Johan Larsson, Robert Hägg, Oskar Lindblom, Michal Kempný and Christian Djoos.

 Photo © Brad Mills-Imagn Images.

Ducks’ Italian Goalie Prospect Loaned Back To Swedish Club Italian goaltender Damian Clara, has been loaned by the Anaheim Ducks to Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Saturday.