Yesterday, I wondered if the Washington Capitals would extend Nicklas Backstrom to a shorter, Crosby-like deal or lock him up with one of those “lifetime” contracts. It looks like the answer is the lifetime deal; the team announced today that they signed the talented Swede to a 10-year, $67 million contract. For you non-math majors out there, that means that he’ll net the Capitals a $6.7 million cap hit per year, which is a great value for a player who already hit the 100-point mark.
Later today, I’ll analyze the impact of Backstrom’s contract on the overall salary cap picture for the Washington Capitals. If you want a sneak preview, though, keep in mind that the Caps could be in a really good situation if they make the right moves this summer. So far, so good.