As former Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom makes his long-awaited return to hockey, Team Sweden is keeping a close eye on him.
Backstrom is on Sweden's radar for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, and depending on how Backstrom performs with the SHL's Brynäs IF in his comeback, he could be representing his country on the international stage come February.
"It will be interesting to follow. The Olympic Games are far ahead. I'll take it step by step. I just want to see that he is doing well, that he is on the ice and that he can play regularly to start with," Hallam said, per the Swedish Herald, adding that 'he is one of the best we have."
Team Sweden's captain, Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner Victor Hedman, also said he'd love to see Backstrom represent his country in Italy.
"He is one of the best we have produced in Swedish hockey," Hedman noted. "If he is healthy and delivers, I think he is absolutely a name for the Olympic Games. A player like him doesn't grow on trees."
Backstrom recently signed a contract to join his former team for the upcoming season, which will mark his first time playing professional hockey since October 2023, when he stepped away from the Capitals amid ongoing complications following hip resurfacing surgery he underwent in 2022.
The 37-year-old underwent the experimental procedure to address years of chronic pain, and though he attempted an NHL comeback in 2023, he was unable to perform at the same level he was before. He said at the time his hip hadn't responded as he'd hoped, and therefore, he made the decision to take a leave of absence for the last two seasons as his contract expired.
Backstrom finished his NHL career with 271 goals and 762 assists for 1,033 points in 1,015 games over 17 years in D.C. Now, he'll get the chance to see his career come full circle as he returns to the ice for Brynäs in his hometown.
“I had an incredibly wonderful 18 years in Washington as a city and organization," Backstrom said in his press conference introducing him back to Brynäs. "They have been exemplary in everything, and of course, I have a lot to thank them for being here today.
"Right now, my body feels great. I've been on the ice all summer. I feel ready to take on that task," Backstrom said, adding, "It's hard to say, but I myself feel that I’m hopefully a good hockey player and can contribute as much as possible."