I saw the list, no pressure, right? says Bäckström from the stage during SHL's annual kickoff meeting.
Later, Brynässtjärnan tells TT:
If I'm being honest, I don't think it's so much about what they've seen of Nicklas Bäckström as a player today, but more about old merits. Of course, it's fun that people believe in you, but you have to be a little realistic too.
I look forward to coming into a good group and we as a team doing well, then what I do individually we'll take later, says the 37-year-old Bäckström, who is back in SHL and Brynäs after 18 years in Washington.
Bäckström has not played for two years due to injury problems.
"Incredibly cool feeling"
SHL starts on Saturday and Brynäs will host Växjö at home.
It will be an incredibly cool feeling to be back and fun to get started, he says.
Brynäs received 37 percent of the votes as SM gold winners from coaches, players, journalists, and other hockey people. Frölunda is the second favorite with 24 percent of the votes and Färjestad received 21 percent.
Reigning champion team Luleå received four percent together with newcomer Djurgården.
38 percent believe that Leksand will be relegated and Örebro was the second most tipped with 13 percent.
"A damn source of inspiration"
In the MVP hunt, Nicklas Bäckström received 24 percent of the votes. Teammate Jakob Silfverberg received the second most votes, 18 percent.
Silfverberg was last season's big NHL returnee and won the MVP title after leading Brynäs to a series win as a newcomer and SM final, where they lost to Luleå.
Coach Niklas Gällstedt on getting "Bäckis" back home:
He is a fantastic hockey player, then he hasn't played for two years, and he possesses an experience that we can all benefit from. He is a damn source of inspiration.
