Washington Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom taking leave to evaluate his health

Washington Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom, who has had limited production this season after 2022 hip surgery, announced Wednesday that he is going to take a leave of absence to determine his future.

"This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time," he said in a statement. "I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”

Backstrom, who turns 36 this month, had hip resurfacing surgery during the 2022 offseason and was out until January 2023, finishing with 21 points in 39 games.

He said during training camp this season he was back to 100 percent and was done talking about the surgery.

But he has one point (an assist) in eight games this season and is averaging 14 minutes, 34 seconds a game. He has averaged a little more than 12 minutes the last three games.

When healthy, Backstrom was among the top players in Capitals history. The playmaking center leads the team in all-time assists (762) and is second in points (1,033) behind Alex Ovechkin. He had 23 points in 20 games in the 2018 playoffs as the Capitals won their lone Stanley Cup title.

Backstrom is under contract this season and next at a $9.2 million cap hit.

"We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said in a statement. "We know firsthand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health. Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation."