{"id":130990,"date":"2025-08-09T05:55:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T05:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/130990\/"},"modified":"2025-08-09T05:55:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T05:55:08","slug":"nicklas-backstrom-honored-with-tribute-during-brynas-annual-black-and-white-game-if-i-hadnt-played-the-match-right-after-i-probably-would-have-shed-a-few","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/130990\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicklas Backstrom honored with tribute during Bryn\u00e4s\u2019 annual \u2018Black and White\u2019 game: \u2018If I hadn\u2019t played the match right after, I probably would have shed a few tears\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nicklas Backstrom<\/strong> won\u2019t play his first regular-season SHL game until next month, but he\u2019s already back on the ice in a Bryn\u00e4s IF uniform.<\/p>\n

Backstrom took part in Bryn\u00e4s\u2019 annual \u201cBlack and White\u201d game on Friday, joining SHL and NHL players at the charity scrimmage. Though he often participated as an NHL player, this year\u2019s event came less than two weeks after Backstrom signed a deal with Bryn\u00e4s for the 2025-26 season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Before making his NHL debut, Backstrom previously spent six seasons in Bryn\u00e4s\u2019 organization from 2001 to 2007, playing at both the junior and professional level.<\/p>\n

Both the team and its fans took the chance to celebrate Backstrom\u2019s homecoming at the event. Bryn\u00e4s aired a tribute video before his entrance, and fans greeted him with what SVT Sport called<\/a> \u201cthe biggest cheer of the evening,\u201d as translated by Google Translate.<\/p>\n

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Backstrom highlighted the effect that warm reception had on him postgame.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis experience was something I will never forget in my life,\u201d he said of the day<\/a>, translated by Google Translate. \u201cIt was a magical feeling. I got goosebumps, and if I hadn\u2019t played the match right after, I probably would have shed a few tears, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emotional as he was after the tribute, Backstrom wasted no time making an impact on the ice and scored Black\u2019s first goal in the opening period, per Expressen\u2019 Svante St\u00f6rlingen<\/a>. White ultimately won the game with a final score of 8-4.<\/p>\n

The event featured several other former Capitals players, including Christian Djoos, Michal Kempny, and Axel Jonsson-Fj\u00e4llby. All three will be Backstrom\u2019s teammates on Bryn\u00e4s in 2025-26, with the latter two signing contracts earlier this offseason ahead of Backstrom\u2019s deal. Active NHL players in the scrimmage included Elias Lindholm (BOS), Jesper Boqvist (FLA), and Calle Jarnkrok (TOR).<\/p>\n

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Backstrom is set to play professional hockey this fall for the first time in nearly two years, re-joining his former junior team after a lingering hip injury ended his 17-season NHL career. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in 2022, he struggled to return to his former level of play, recording just one point in eight games during his final season. He formally stepped away from the team in November of 2023 and remained on long-term injured reserve until his contract expired this July.<\/p>\n

After signing with Bryn\u00e4s this summer, Backstrom acknowledged how difficult his recovery has been<\/a>, at times thinking he\u2019d be forced to hang up his skates for good.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m being completely honest, I think that at some point in time it has probably popped up,\u201d Backstrom\u00a0told Aftonbladet\u2019s Amanda Zaza<\/a>, via a translation by Google Translate. \u201cBut the love and desire to continue playing have always been there and burned for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the Black and White game under his belt, Backstrom\u2019s second tenure in the SHL will likely begin against the Vaxjo Lakers on September 13.<\/p>\n

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