Who will put up more points? Out of Kessel, Toews, Staal, Backstrom

[66-30-33]

Yes a two year contract with NHL option, like all the others ...

For the record, Nicklas Bäckström has been offered a max level rookie contract by the Caps, and he's supposed to answer next week. His Swedish GM was quoted last friday stating "I hope that he'll stay, but I don't know".

I hope, for his sake that he stays one more year, it's not easy coming over at the tender age of 18 without even a fellow swede on the team.

But I'll guess it's 50/50.

And _if_ he signs he'll rack up points like crazy, he's superb playmaker with loads of hockey sense and a slick stick. Pair with him with skilled scorer and watch the magic.

And I think AlexO can be regarded a skilled scorer.

Some swedish media was with him at the airport flying back form the draft, and AlexO showed up, waiting for his flight to Moscow. He not only asked Bäckis to sign, he begged him to, saying 'please sign that contract, I know you can play here and we'll have so fun next season'.

// hdw
ps
Note that Alex has actually played with him already. or actually against him in Riga.
ds.

He will be good but not 100+ pts good like Ovechkin. I will say he will rack 80-85 points with 35 goals 45-50 assists 80-85 points. IMO Caps will be foolish to bring him into the NHL right away even if he is the closest to NHL ready of anyone in the draft, let him have 1 more year in his league (i'd say with Hershey but he's too young). He is no Ovechkin and may have trouble with the language thing and trying to adapt to a league where he's not seen so much competition before but who knows...people said Ovechkin would have trouble and have like 50-70 points, let's see if he can prove us wrong aswell.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Backstrom could be assigned to Hershey, he's European and Europeans don't fall under the minimum age restriction in the AHL. The Elisterin is a better league than the AHL though, so he's best sticking with Byrnas.

 

[Lars]

Backstrom.

 

[Bryzga lol*]

Next year? Backstrom

Career? Toews...à la Yzerman

 

[hdw]

I can still be Bäckstöm

Even if he's playing in Sweden.

Just remember to double his figures, since the swedish season is only half the number of games

 

[Hawkhead]

Toews will score the least because of the players on the Hawks and the system they play.

Well the blackhawks have some of the best young players in the game.... I think he'll be fine



I mean look who he will be playing with, Jack Skille, Bolland, Blunden, Havlat....


He will be good

 

[ap3lovr]

Depends where Boston puts Kessel. If they put him between Bergeron/Boyes a la Crosby at the worlds, I think Kessel will get way more points, but if they put him with Savard/Murray... I think Backstrom wins.

 

[Hawkhead]

And also, Dale Tallon has said the hawks are changing their system this year....


Toews is looking like an awesome pick right now... hes dominate in our prospects camp scoring a highlight goal on Sunday. Bolland did too.


And Jack Skille and Barker are studs st the camp also

 

[hdw]

Well too late bu anyway

He will be good but not 100+ pts good like Ovechkin. I will say he will rack 80-85 points with 35 goals 45-50 assists 80-85 points. IMO Caps will be foolish to bring him into the NHL right away even if he is the closest to NHL ready of anyone in the draft, let him have 1 more year in his league (i'd say with Hershey but he's too young). He is no Ovechkin and may have trouble with the language thing and trying to adapt to a league where he's not seen so much competition before but who knows...people said Ovechkin would have trouble and have like 50-70 points, let's see if he can prove us wrong aswell.

Too late since he's already signed with Brynäs for one more year but anyway.

Remember that AlexO didn't come over directly, there was a lockout in between.
So he actually did the same as Bäckström, he played one more year in his national league.

 

[Stinkin' Root Beer]

Backstrom in the short run AND long run if there's any truth to what the guys on XM were saying last week about how talk around the floor at the draft was that JJ is never going to play in a CAR uniform (Something about some bad blood). Their thoughts were that a Jack Johnson/Jordan Staal deal is still very much possible and that PIT drafted Staal for the sole purpose of including him in a deal with CAR. If so, no Staal + Malkin/Crosby lineups. Also, I think we're lowballing Toews a little bit. Who knows if Havlat is going to still be around, but Toews and Skille, once they come of age, with Barker and/or Seabrook moving the puck up to them will be a thing of beauty.

Aside: Is there any official etiquette for citing things we hear on the radio?

 

[Zeus6754]

Backstrom in the short run AND long run if there's any truth to what the guys on XM were saying last week about how talk around the floor at the draft was that JJ is never going to play in a CAR uniform (Something about some bad blood). Their thoughts were that a Jack Johnson/Jordan Staal deal is still very much possible and that PIT drafted Staal for the sole purpose of including him in a deal with CAR. If so, no Staal + Malkin/Crosby lineups. Also, I think we're lowballing Toews a little bit. Who knows if Havlat is going to still be around, but Toews and Skille, once they come of age, with Barker and/or Seabrook moving the puck up to them will be a thing of beauty.

Aside: Is there any official etiquette for citing things we hear on the radio?

So this JJ/Staal trade is still being discussed in July? You got any more info?

 

[Vic Rattlehead*]

You can win the Calder while playing at Minnesota? Must be one of the clauses in the new CBA that I missed.

Kessel playing in Boston this season is 50/50. Kessel is going to let the Bruins decide if he is ready or not. If they think he is ready, he'll play for the Bruins this season. If not, he'll return to College, than play for Boston in the 07-08 season.

 

[Stinkin' Root Beer]

So this JJ/Staal trade is still being discussed in July? You got any more info?

Nothing more than what I posted. I can't remember if it was Todd Lewis, Tatti, Greener on XM...they're honestly all one funny, well-informed Canadian guy as far as I'm concerned, ha. I would like to know more about this situation between JJ and CAR, too, though. How could there be any hard feelings there if his career hasn't even started yet?

 

[bigjags*]

Even if he's playing in Sweden.

Just remember to double his figures, since the swedish season is only half the number of games

Correct me if I'm wrong, there are no 2nd assists in SEL?

 

[cmdevisser]

Well the blackhawks have some of the best young players in the game.... I think he'll be fine



I mean look who he will be playing with, Jack Skille, Bolland, Blunden, Havlat....


He will be good

Whatever happened to Ruutu?

 

[Seiza]

Correct me if I'm wrong, there are no 2nd assists in SEL?

Yes there is, but you don't get them quite as easy as in the NHL.

 

[alanschu]

Will Staal even be playing before Crosby and Malkin are commanding max salaries?

 

[Zeus6754]

Will Staal even be playing before Crosby and Malkin are commanding max salaries?

Yes. He will probably be playing for the Pens by October 2007 at the latest. Sid & Malkin will both still be on their rookie deals then.

 

[Til the End of Time]

Yes. He will probably be playing for the Pens by October 2007 at the latest.

What makes you say this?

 

[Zeus6754]

What makes you say this?

He's probably going to play 1 more year in the OHL for the Petes. I think that's a fairly safe assumption. Someone else on these boards said he can't play in the AHL until he's 20 years old. If that is true then it seems logical that he would be in the Pen's line-up at the beginning of 2007-2008.

Where do you think he's going to be playing the next 2 seasons?

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

He's probably going to play 1 more year in the OHL for the Petes. I think that's a fairly safe assumption. Someone else on these boards said he can't play in the AHL until he's 20 years old. If that is true then it seems logical that he would be in the Pen's line-up at the beginning of 2007-2008.

Where do you think he's going to be playing the next 2 seasons?

With the Petes. I think another two years in the OHL will be good for him but who knows? He could continue to develop very quickly and be ready before then.

 

[Zeus6754]

With the Petes. I think another two years in the OHL will be good for him but who knows? He could continue to develop very quickly and be ready before then.

I agree. I think that he should play another 2 years in the OHL. I just think that he'll be in the NHL at 19.

 

[Hockey-Freak]

So this JJ/Staal trade is still being discussed in July? You got any more info?

Why should Carolina do this? There´s only Babchuk as a sure top-3 defender and if they would have wanted to collect Staals, they´d have traded down and picked Marc Staal b/c they knew they needed a really good defensive prospect.

Besides that, where is the basis on all that talks of JJ will never play in Carolina? It´s just because he decided he wants to play another season in college, nothing more. If he wouldn´t want to play for them he´s the guy who´d have asked for a trade.

And my last point: Which Prospect doesn´t want to sign (earlier or later) with the Stanley Cup Champion that has a really good young core of Staal, Ward, Williams, Ladd, Cole etc. ?!

 

[Zeus6754]

Why should Carolina do this? There´s only Babchuk as a sure top-3 defender and if they would have wanted to collect Staals, they´d have traded down and picked Marc Staal b/c they knew they needed a really good defensive prospect.

Besides that, where is the basis on all that talks of JJ will never play in Carolina? It´s just because he decided he wants to play another season in college, nothing more. If he wouldn´t want to play for them he´s the guy who´d have asked for a trade.

And my last point: Which Prospect doesn´t want to sign (earlier or later) with the Stanley Cup Champion that has a really good young core of Staal, Ward, Williams, Ladd, Cole etc. ?!

Stinkin' Root Beer said he heard it on XM radio last week.