737 – Number of assists for Nicklas Backstrom in his career, the sixth-most assists recorded by a player through his first 1000 points in NHL history.
Backstrom’s assist on T.J. Oshie’s power-play goal last night was part of a two-point milestone night for the Caps’ franchise center, with career point #999 coming on Backstrom’s sneaky second-period goal to put the Caps ahead 1-0. He became just the fifth player to hit the millennium mark since his NHL debut back in 2007-08, joining Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane, and of course his longtime running-mate Alex Ovechkin.
Backstrom also continues to move up the ranks among his countrymen, becoming just the sixth Swedish player in NHL history to record 1,000 points. His 737 assists are fourth-most among Swedes, and his 0.96 points per game rate ranks second among Swedish players with at least 1,000 points, trailing only Mats Sundin (1.00 points/game).
Congratulations, Nick!!!!