Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom was a late scratch just before Sweden’s gold medal game against Canada.
Swedish Olympic Committee spokesman Bjorn Folin said Sunday that Backstrom tested positive for a substance found in an allergy medication that he has taken for seven years.
The NHL released the following statement Sunday afternoon:
"Subject to confirmation of the facts as we understand them, and given the fact that the substance is neither prohibited in the NHL nor was used in an improper manner here, we do not anticipate there being any consequences relative to Nicklas’ eligibility to participate in games for the Washington Capitals.”
Backstrom was listed on the lineups handed out before the game but did not take the ice for pregame warm-ups. Sweden went on to lose against Canada 0-3 in the gold medal game Sunday.
Sweden also has lost forwards Henrik Sedin, Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg to injury. Sedin and Franzen weren’t on Sweden’s final roster because of injuries. Sedin has a rib injury and Franzen had a concussion. Zetterberg was lost after one game because of a herniated disk.
