Backstrom's 700-point milestone further proof of how underrated he is

It's about time Nicklas Backstrom was given his due.

The Washington Capitals center chipped in a goal and two assists on Saturday night to help the Capitals collect their 11th straight home victory and help the 29-year-old eclipse the 700-point mark.

For Backstrom, the game was his second straight three-point outing and his third in the last six games. It also helped to push his current point streak to seven games, a stretch that has seen him post 13 points.

So, if you haven't caught on, he's playing some incredible hockey.

Backstrom now has 60 points on the year, putting him in a tie for second in league scoring with Sidney Crosby, just a point behind Connor McDavid for top spot.

He sits among the best in the league and, yet, throughout his career it appears Backstrom has gone wildly underrated, despite giving no reason for such thinking.

Backstrom has been about as consistent a producer as anyone since he entered the league. In fact, since he made his debut back during the 2008 season, only five players have racked up more than his 702 points.

Maybe it's because he has played behind Alex Ovechkin - who garners the most attention with his numerous goal-scoring accolades - but what has been clear over the years is that, more often than not, you can find Backstrom's name in the assist column for those goals.

His vision is impeccable, and while he sits ranked sixth in points since the 2007-08 season, he is third in assists with 520 over that span.

Backstrom is on his way to putting up the third-highest point total of his career this season. He went without an All-Star nomination this year, but Backstrom is among the best in the league and has been for some time.