Toews vs Backstrom

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Ola

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Apr 10, 2004
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Bäckström vs Towes:

6 month ago, clearly Bäckström,

now, clearly Towes

12 month from now, 24 month form now?

Id say Towes. But I wouldn't at all be suprised if I changed opinion again. Both seems like very motivated kids who have a tremendous drive, its thoose kind of kids who gets anywhere in the NHL.
 

THE COACH

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Jan 7, 2007
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Gold medal = Toews
Loser = Backstrom

Cant wait to see Toews with Baker, Seabrook, Ruutu et Havlat on PP

The Coach
 

Chelios

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I`m not going to come in here and say how much better Toews is, I think he is better, but I realize that I am probably a little biased having watched him just dominate the World Juniors and being a Blackhawk fan. Having said that, there is something that really annoys me whenever people talk about Toews and compare him to other prospects. That is the consistent underrating of his offensive ability. I agree with the general consensus that Backstrom probably has the higher ofensive potential, but the difference is not nearly as big as most of you believe. It seems that whenever a player is as good defensively as Toews, they get labelled a "two way player" which suggests that there offense is limited. This is so far from the case that it is laughable. Backstrom may be the more dynamic stickhandler, and may be flashier than Toews, but I have a hard time finding anything else that he is signficantly better than Toews at in the offensive zone. Toews is one of the smartest players I have ever seen at his age (both offensively and defensively), he is always in the right spot at the right time and always knows where his teamates are. His shot is absolutely amazing, and as you can see by his shootout goals as well as his goal in the finals, he has no problem putting it to work. He is also one of the best puck protectors I have seen at his age, it is absolutely unreal how he can protect the puck from opponents in the offensive zone. For those of you pointing to his totals from UND this year as validation of his limited offensive potential, know that he has not been healthy all season (in fact I don`t think he was 100% at the World Juniors). The only thing that may limit his offense at all is his unwillingness to take offensive risks at the expense of defense. Once inside the offensive zone he is as dangerous as anyone his age. When taking into consideration things like defense and leadership, it makes him even more attractive. Needless to say I am extremely happy the Hawks got him at number 3, had we had the number one pick I would have wanted him as well.
 

Atlas

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Sep 7, 2004
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Toews has been underrated a bit all the way along IMO. He's not a dazzling Lemieux type but more of a "do whatever it takes to win" type. He's gonna be a heck of a player.

I'm a Caps fan and would have been happy with either Toews or Backstrom at the draft.
 

sansabri

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Aug 12, 2005
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Are you talking about careers??? I don't think so

why? because forsberg got the injury bug?

even with that, he has always been considered the greater player in colorado - ****, even in the world. not sakic.

i love sakic - i saw him start off his career in quebec. and then i saw forsberg come to quebec and just completely dominate the league with his vision.

and to that chelios poster - toews doesn't dominate in the offensive zone like backstrom does. i'm not sure if you only watched canada games - but backstrom was drawing circles around everyone. he simply had no "adults" to finish off his beautiful plays.

and to boot, backstrom is a GREAT defensive player. not just a "playmaker."

toews is going to be great - but backstrom is simply going to be amazing.
 

Dipsy Doodle

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May 28, 2006
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why? because forsberg got the injury bug?

even with that, he has always been considered the greater player in colorado - ****, even in the world. not sakic.

i love sakic - i saw him start off his career in quebec. and then i saw forsberg come to quebec and just completely dominate the league with his vision.

and to that chelios poster - toews doesn't dominate in the offensive zone like backstrom does. i'm not sure if you only watched canada games - but backstrom was drawing circles around everyone. he simply had no "adults" to finish off his beautiful plays.

and to boot, backstrom is a GREAT defensive player. not just a "playmaker."

toews is going to be great - but backstrom is simply going to be amazing.

Backstrom was silky smooth out there and showed the best vision in the WJCs, but Toews was second, and his shot is infinitely better than Backstrom's. And Toews has been cold as ice in pressure situations this year.

Pretty much a crapshoot at this point.
 

Atlas

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sans, I like what you're saying about Backstrom. I hope he is a legit #1 center in the NHL.

Forsberg and Sakic bring different things to the table. Sakic has a much better shot than Forsberg. Forsberg adds a physical game that Sakic doesn't have. I can't think of two players who are closer to being exactly equal in terms of what they give your team. Both are top end #1 NHL centers.
 

Chelios

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and to that chelios poster - toews doesn't dominate in the offensive zone like backstrom does. i'm not sure if you only watched canada games - but backstrom was drawing circles around everyone. he simply had no "adults" to finish off his beautiful plays.

and to boot, backstrom is a GREAT defensive player. not just a "playmaker."

toews is going to be great - but backstrom is simply going to be amazing.

You want to start comparing linemates? Pyatt, O`Marra and Helm aren`t exactly offensive dynamos, in fact I would say that Bergfors and Berglund both have much more offense than any player Toews played with. I just don`t understand how, other than blind bias, you can definitively say that Backstrom is going to be much better than Toews. I can see taking one over the other, but either way it is very close. My issue was that those who have been saying they would take Backstrom have been saying that his offense is just so much better than Toews which simply isn`t true. Backstrom has more flash, but as far as creating offense and putting points on the board, the difference is minimal. When it comes to defense, leadership and clutch performance, Toews, IMO, pulls ahead a bit.
 

Goose

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If this was posted 3 weeks ago this wouldn't even be close.
 

dieseleric

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Aug 17, 2006
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You want to start comparing linemates? Pyatt, O`Marra and Helm aren`t exactly offensive dynamos, in fact I would say that Bergfors and Berglund both have much more offense than any player Toews played with. I just don`t understand how, other than blind bias, you can definitively say that Backstrom is going to be much better than Toews. I can see taking one over the other, but either way it is very close. My issue was that those who have been saying they would take Backstrom have been saying that his offense is just so much better than Toews which simply isn`t true. Backstrom has more flash, but as far as creating offense and putting points on the board, the difference is minimal. When it comes to defense, leadership and clutch performance, Toews, IMO, pulls ahead a bit.

Agreed...it's not like Toews was out there with Sidney Crosby on his line, he was playing on lines with role players.
 

Crazyhorse

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Still, the fact is, Toews played on a better team. Bäckström have produced in SEL, and if you start to compare their league numbers, Toews isn't close. Thats my point, theres no telling which one is better, let the future decide.
 

Chelios

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Still, the fact is, Toews played on a better team. Bäckström have produced in SEL, and if you start to compare their league numbers, Toews isn't close. Thats my point, theres no telling which one is better, let the future decide.

How is this really relevent? Nobody is saying Toews is better because Canada won, while Sweden came in 4th. The strength of the team would only come into play when comparing scoring totals, and even then your argument doesnt really hold water since Backstrom was playing with much better players than Toews was. As I mentioned before, you can`t compare Backstrom`s numbers in the SEL to Toews` in college because Toews has not been 100% all season due to a nagging shoulder injury. There was also a few times both in camp prior to WJCs as well as in the tournement itself where Toews looked to be in serious pain. I don`t think he was 100% in the tournement and yet still performed the way he did. Just goes to show what kind of hear and character this kid has.
 

sansabri

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Aug 12, 2005
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You want to start comparing linemates? Pyatt, O`Marra and Helm aren`t exactly offensive dynamos, in fact I would say that Bergfors and Berglund both have much more offense than any player Toews played with. I just don`t understand how, other than blind bias, you can definitively say that Backstrom is going to be much better than Toews. I can see taking one over the other, but either way it is very close. My issue was that those who have been saying they would take Backstrom have been saying that his offense is just so much better than Toews which simply isn`t true. Backstrom has more flash, but as far as creating offense and putting points on the board, the difference is minimal. When it comes to defense, leadership and clutch performance, Toews, IMO, pulls ahead a bit.

honestly? i see toews as being a PPG two-way forward in his peak. backstrom - he's the next coming for sweden. the skills are already there and for anyone to dismiss them because backstrom didn't take the iniative ( taking the puck to the net himself and shooting it in ), because he wanted to make the team look good for the home crowd is in itself blind bias.

bergfors wasn't playing his best hockey - but he did end up clicking with sundstrom ( from the lowell devils ). it was a mistake to expect backstrom and bergfors to pick up where they left off last year. and berglund on backstrom's wing? he's more effective at center.

i don't see how toews pulls ahead simply because he excelled in a one-week tournament. toews was surrounded with a lot of great players. backstrom ... not so much.

also, backstrom played at the world championship for four games last year - didn't put any points. but looked superb playing amongst men.

toews hasn't reached that stage of his development yet.
 

Chelios

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honestly? i see toews as being a PPG two-way forward in his peak. backstrom - he's the next coming for sweden. the skills are already there and for anyone to dismiss them because backstrom didn't take the iniative ( taking the puck to the net himself and shooting it in ), because he wanted to make the team look good for the home crowd is in itself blind bias.

Okay, let me see if i have this right. You are saying that Backstrom didnt score because he was trying to make his team look good for the home crowd? Now your just pulling at straws here. I think they would have looked good to the home crowd winning, which he couldn`t do. I don`t want to start bashing Backstrom, because I genuinely do like him and think he is a great player, but your arguments are getting progressively weaker. Lets say that your right and Toews does develop into a PPG player, if that does occur then I can guarentee he will be one of the best players in the league. The thing about guys like Toews is that they are extremely valuable to a team even if they score 50 points, if he develops into a PPG player (which I think he will), he will be one of the best players in the league.

i don't see how toews pulls ahead simply because he excelled in a one-week tournament. toews was surrounded with a lot of great players. backstrom ... not so much.

Its not like Toews is some no name who came out of nowhere to have a great tournement, he was drafted above Backstrom and this tournement showed why. And you have yet to tell me who these "great players" are that Toews was surrounded by. The only question coming into this tournement, and throughout this tournement, about team Canada was whethere they could score goals. They simply did not ave a very good offense. Toews absolutely carried this team offensively (and defensively for that matter). Backstrom was surrounded by more talented players offensively.

also, backstrom played at the world championship for four games last year - didn't put any points. but looked superb playing amongst men.

toews hasn't reached that stage of his development yet.

How many teenagers has Canada taken outside the NHL for any senior international tournements? Not a whole lot. Hell, Crosby didn`t even make the Olympic team. I fail to see how Backstrom making the Swedish team has anything to do with him being better than Toews. Again, I would like to ask you what is it that makes Backstrom so much better than Toews? You have provided absolutely no evidence to back up your claim.
 

Le Golie

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i don't see how toews pulls ahead simply because he excelled in a one-week tournament.

Pulls ahead? What the hell does that mean? What makes you think Backstrom was ever ahead?

He wasn't ahead two years ago. He wasn't ahead after the world championships. He wasn't ahead on draft day. He certainly wasn't ahead last week.

It's arrogant to assume and pass off as fact that the entire hockey world had Backstrom ahead of Toews because he has had two or three good months for his club team in Europe. That's flat out wrong.
 

sansabri

a sea of troubles eh
Aug 12, 2005
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Okay, let me see if i have this right. You are saying that Backstrom didnt score because he was trying to make his team look good for the home crowd? Now your just pulling at straws here. I think they would have looked good to the home crowd winning, which he couldn`t do. I don`t want to start bashing Backstrom, because I genuinely do like him and think he is a great player, but your arguments are getting progressively weaker. Lets say that your right and Toews does develop into a PPG player, if that does occur then I can guarentee he will be one of the best players in the league. The thing about guys like Toews is that they are extremely valuable to a team even if they score 50 points, if he develops into a PPG player (which I think he will), he will be one of the best players in the league.

they would have looked good if they would have finished off his plays. that short-handed breakaway would have looked good if he hadn't hit the post ... **** happens when you're asked to play against kids while dominating the men's senior league.

mentioning toews being picked ahead is pointless. don't question my debating skills if you're going to bring that up.


How many teenagers has Canada taken outside the NHL for any senior international tournements? Not a whole lot. Hell, Crosby didn`t even make the Olympic team. I fail to see how Backstrom making the Swedish team has anything to do with him being better than Toews. Again, I would like to ask you what is it that makes Backstrom so much better than Toews? You have provided absolutely no evidence to back up your claim.

he's "better" because he's simply more ready for the NHL than toews is. being "better" here is being ahead in his development. it's nothing personal against toews - but toews is playing in a college league while backstrom is playing in the SEL. who do you think plays against the better opposition?

the only difference is - picking someone like toews ahead of backstrom saves you that whole "having to adapt to north american rinks and culture" routine that all foreign players go through.

you ask timmins from the habs if they were looking at kopitar. they decided to go for something "homegrown" because of their experience from 2003.
 

Ola

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Apr 10, 2004
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Gold medal = Toews
Loser = Backstrom

Cant wait to see Toews with Baker, Seabrook, Ruutu et Havlat on PP

The Coach

Bäckström got a gold medal.

Towes haven't even remotly been considered when it counts... ;)

Just jerking with you, id take Toews right now, but I wouldn't make such big deal of a small freakin junior tournament...
 

Hook

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Backstrom could probably be a better offensive player here, but Toews is a much more complete player.
 

CapsWolverinesUSA

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Pulls ahead? What the hell does that mean? What makes you think Backstrom was ever ahead?

He wasn't ahead two years ago. He wasn't ahead after the world championships. He wasn't ahead on draft day. He certainly wasn't ahead last week.

It's arrogant to assume and pass off as fact that the entire hockey world had Backstrom ahead of Toews because he has had two or three good months for his club team in Europe. That's flat out wrong.

There is certainly a very good case to be made for the fact that they were considered equal prospects in the draft (each was talked about as going anywhere in that 2-5 range and nobody was sure what order it would fall, and they went consecutively). And there is certainly a very good case to be made that since the draft but prior to the WJC, Backstrom had done significantly more to impress. While Toews has been good-but-not-great at the University of North Dakota and frustrated the NoDak fans to some extent, Backstrom is putting up the best numbers any 18 year old ever has in the SEL. Better than Forsberg or Naslund or Nylander or anyone. Given that, I think it is very reasonable to say that Backstrom had moved ahead by a bit. In fact, I'm not really sure how anyone could strongly disagree with this.
 
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