The Washington Capitals made a smart move today by locking up center Nicklas Backstrom to a 10 year deal, that should keep their 22 year old star in DC for the majority of his career. While Backstrom at times gets overlooked on the Capitals, because of the presence of Ovechkin, Semin, and Green, he is probably their best all-around player. While that might be considered sacrilege in some circles, the importance of Backstrom to the Capitals can’t be overstated.

While it is hard to argue that Backstrom is a better player than Ovechkin, given all of Ovi’s accolades, but I do think you can make the case that he is more valuable to the Capitals. Backstrom just 22, is 26 months younger than Ovechkin, and yet plays like a 10-year veteran. While at times Ovechkin’s over aggressive style has been known to get him in trouble, in being out of position or out of the game (penalties/suspensions), Backstrom is a very heady two-way player. While Ovechkin might be the best scorer in hockey, at the end of the day he is a winger, which isn’t as important as a center. As a first line center, Backstrom affects the game more than even the best winger in the NHL. And while Ovechkin and Backstrom have a symbiotic relationship being on the same line, I think the importance of the center in that equation is number one. Backstrom in 3 seasons has gone from just being a good center to one of the top 5 in the NHL, and by far (its not even close) the best center on the Capitals.

Backstrom took his game to a new level this season, and that coincided with the Capitals taking their game to a new level and winning the President’s Cup. While a number of Capitals saw increases to their numbers, Backstrom improved across the board and at a higher level than his teammates. While Ovechkin, Green and Semin’s numbers stayed in the same range, Backstrom really took his game to an elite level, rising it on par with Alex the Great. Now the Caps have their two star front liners locked up for the next decade.

With a center-wing combo like Ovechkin and Backstrom the Capitals will be a frontline team in the NHL for the foreseeable future. While other roster decisions remain, with the big one being the long term future of Semin, the Capitals can be assured that their first line will remain productive. By the time this deal is over I think it will end up being a major steal for the Capitals since Backstrom will only average $6.7 million, which is a few million below what the elite NHL players make. While sometimes fans and the media overlook Backstrom, I promise you after this year’s campaign, the league will have to game plan for him as much as they do Ovechkin.