Is Nick Backstrom a Hall of Famer?

Is Nick Backstrom a Hall of Famer?

  • Yes

  • No


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Thordic

StraightOuttaConklin
Jul 12, 2006
3,013
722
Neither had Mats Sundin

I'm actually a fan of Backstrom but he isn't Mats Sundin. Sundin was an exception to the "rule" with having no personal hardware. Backstrom isn't carrying a bad team on his back and scoring 2o points more than anyone else on the team every season.
 

DDRhockey

Hockeyfan since 1986
Oct 11, 2017
3,385
1,630
I'm actually a fan of Backstrom but he isn't Mats Sundin. Sundin was an exception to the "rule" with having no personal hardware. Backstrom isn't carrying a bad team on his back and scoring 2o points more than anyone else on the team every season.
Backstrom had 18p more than AO two seasons ago
 

DudeWhereIsMakar

Bergevin sent me an offer sheet
Apr 25, 2014
15,596
6,618
Winnipeg
He might down the line, but right now it's very unlikely, and like I say in ALL of these kinds of threads, if they have nobody left to induct they might look to him. I think if Backstrom gets 1000+ points and 1000+ games he'll get some more consideration.

But without question, Washington is going to retire his number.
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,008
13,424
Philadelphia
But without question, Washington is going to retire his number.

The Caps haven't retired Bondra's number yet (or Kolzig's). Part of that may have been the desire not to hang any more banners until they had a Stanley Cup banner to hang, but we'll see if feelings change regarding future number retirements. At this point, the only guaranteed number retirement is #8.
 

DudeWhereIsMakar

Bergevin sent me an offer sheet
Apr 25, 2014
15,596
6,618
Winnipeg
The Caps haven't retired Bondra's number yet (or Kolzig's). Part of that may have been the desire not to hang any more banners until they had a Stanley Cup banner to hang, but we'll see if feelings change regarding future number retirements. At this point, the only guaranteed number retirement is #8.

Funniest thing was I believed Bondra's number was for sure retired. Kolzig's I knew wasn't, but either way, both numbers need to be retired. They're bound to have Backstrom, Ovi, Holtby, Carlson in their rafters. Maybe from what it looks like, Kuznetsov is a possibility.
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,008
13,424
Philadelphia
Funniest thing was I believed Bondra's number was for sure retired. Kolzig's I knew wasn't, but either way, both numbers need to be retired. They're bound to have Backstrom, Ovi, Holtby, Carlson in their rafters. Maybe from what it looks like, Kuznetsov is a possibility.

Really doubt 74 (Carlson) goes up in the rafters. 70 (Holtby) is more likely than 74. 92 (Kuznetsov) is a maybe, but far too early to tell.
 

Perfect_Drug

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
15,383
11,591
Montreal
I'm saying yes, not because I think he's been among the best players in history, but because we've been letting in a lot of "ok" players lately, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

There's going to be around 20-30 players who will retire in 10 years who will be inducted:

Try to name me 20 players in their 30s today who you would put before Backstrom.

If the Hall keeps putting in 2-3 players a year, Backstrom will be in really quickly.
Look at this list, and pick out the guys who you think are more suitable than Backstrom.

Not in Hall of Fame - Hockey Page #1
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,605
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Pretty easily. Five top ten point finishes is pretty damn elite.

Also - I mean people pretend Marleau has a shot when Backstrom is so completely and thoroughly better and has a much more impressive resume.
 

GreatGonzo

Surrounded by Snowflakes
May 26, 2011
8,860
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definition of HHOVG

compiled pretty stats on paper, never considered among the best
Disagree. Playing on a team with Ovechkin hurts his status but he has had many seasons as a top center. He’s been great offensively while being solid defensively. Compilers don’t have top 10 finishes and aren’t as accomplished playmakers as Backstrom.
Pretty easily. Five top ten point finishes is pretty damn elite.

Also - I mean people pretend Marleau has a shot when Backstrom is so completely and thoroughly better and has a much more impressive resume.
Marleau has that lengthy looking career with the 500 goal/1000 points mark reached. He isn’t a HOFer, but he has hit some big milestones so people get all excited.

If Backstrom can have a Marleau type career length wise, but be able to play at a high level, with maybe some big seasons, I feel he has a great shot.
 

Wildcarder

Registered User
Oct 21, 2008
1,748
719
Toronto
No as of right now. If he stays consistent and hits 1200 points he has a good shot. Without any major trophy wins he needs the longevity.
 

Filthy Dangles

Registered User*
Oct 23, 2014
28,353
39,702
Pretty easily. Five top ten point finishes is pretty damn elite.

Also - I mean people pretend Marleau has a shot when Backstrom is so completely and thoroughly better and has a much more impressive resume.

Top-10 point finishes is pretty arbitrary. Kessel and Claude Giroux have 4 each. It wouldn't surprise me if both were top-1o point getters again this season. That doesn't make them Hall of FAmers all of a sudden.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,605
28,842
Top-10 point finishes is pretty arbitrary. Kessel and Claude Giroux have 4 each. It wouldn't surprise me if both were top-1o point getters again this season. That doesn't make them Hall of FAmers all of a sudden.
You people do know that the standards for the Hall are pretty low, and most of the factors used to elect candidates are kind of by nature "arbitrary".

And Kessel and Giroux are also probably going to get into the Hall of Fame. If you want to change the criteria and make it tougher? I'm all for it. But as of right now the top "borderline" candidates are guys like Roenick, Mogilny, Fleury, etc. I would take Backstrom, Kessel, and Giroux over those three by a wide f***ing margin.
 
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Filthy Dangles

Registered User*
Oct 23, 2014
28,353
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You people do know that the standards for the Hall are pretty low, and most of the factors used to elect candidates are kind of by nature "arbitrary".

And Kessel and Giroux are also probably going to get into the Hall of Fame. If you want to change the criteria and make it tougher? I'm all for it. But as of right now the top "borderline" candidates are guys like Roenick, Mogilny, Fleury, etc. I would take Backstrom, Kessel, and Giroux over those three by a wide ****ing margin.

You think someone like Phil Kessel is more deserving of the Hall than Toews or Bergeron? Guys who never finished in the Top-1o even once? Points aren't everything.
 

GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,712
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Brampton, ON
You think someone like Phil Kessel is more deserving of the Hall than Toews or Bergeron? Guys who never finished in the Top-1o even once? Points aren't everything.

Macho is right about the standards. They aren't high.

Toews and Bergeron are definitely going to get in. Backstrom will probably if he ages well enough.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,605
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You think someone like Phil Kessel is more deserving of the Hall than Toews or Bergeron? Guys who never finished in the Top-1o even once? Points aren't everything.
Where did I type a single word about Toews or Bergeron? I never said top 10 in scoring was the *only* criteria that mattered - only that it was an important one (and additionally the comparisons were with offense-oriented forwards, so I don't see how you could reasonably take my statement as a knock against defensive/two-way players).
 

GreatGonzo

Surrounded by Snowflakes
May 26, 2011
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You think someone like Phil Kessel is more deserving of the Hall than Toews or Bergeron? Guys who never finished in the Top-1o even once? Points aren't everything.
The difference is Toews would be getting in off of completely different standards than Kessel would be. Bergeron as well, he’s one of the best defensive forwards of all time and has a real good shot at adding more.

Points aren’t everything when you have other achievements that somehow make them their equal. But in the end guys like Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin would be getting in on their point totals ALONE. It’s just inconsistent the way they judge players. You have a guy like Andreychuk who got in for his point totals alone, mainly compiled....while a player like Elias might never get in, despite achieving more and being a better player.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
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Based on his numbers he should, he's 6th among active players in ppg. But yeah having no hardware or all star team selections (1st or 2nd team) hurts him.

Active NHL Players - Points per Game Leaders
No 1st or 2nd All-Star but he's also playing at the deepest position in the league for All-Star selections.

For comparison - Yzerman has one All-Star selection in his entire career. Federov only had one. Deep positions with only two AS choices make it tough to get those.
 
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Luigi Lemieux

Registered User
Sep 26, 2003
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No 1st or 2nd All-Star but he's also playing at the deepest position in the league for All-Star selections.

For comparison - Yzerman has one All-Star selection in his entire career. Federov only had one. Deep positions with only two AS choices make it tough to get those.
I do agree that getting an all star nod at center is very difficult. That said i think a HOFer would break through at least one year and put up that big season to be remembered by. HOF worthy centers have managed to do that - Tavares, Getzlaf, Thornton, Sedin, Stamkos, Datsyuk all have all star selections. And if they didn't they were selke winners like Toews, Kopitar, or Bergeron.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
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I do agree that getting an all star nod at center is very difficult. That said i think a HOFer would break through at least one year and put up that big season to be remembered by. HOF worthy centers have managed to do that - Tavares, Getzlaf, Thornton, Sedin, Stamkos, Datsyuk all have all star selections. And if they didn't they were selke winners like Toews, Kopitar, or Bergeron.
I just think that's too stringent of a criteria. For instance - Yzerman's AS finish was pretty late in his career. If he retires in 1999 instead of playing 2000-06, does he make the HHoF? Of course.
 

Luigi Lemieux

Registered User
Sep 26, 2003
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I just think that's too stringent of a criteria. For instance - Yzerman's AS finish was pretty late in his career. If he retires in 1999 instead of playing 2000-06, does he make the HHoF? Of course.
I wouldn't make the decision based on that criteria alone. Based on his numbers i do think he should be there as he has numerous top 10 scoring finishes. But having no awards at all makes him seem more like a support player than a hall of famer. Yzerman comparison isn't quite right either as Yzerman had a Pearson and Conn Smythe by 1999.

That said by the time his career is over i expect his numbers to carry him in.
 

GreatGonzo

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May 26, 2011
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I do agree that getting an all star nod at center is very difficult. That said i think a HOFer would break through at least one year and put up that big season to be remembered by. HOF worthy centers have managed to do that - Tavares, Getzlaf, Thornton, Sedin, Stamkos, Datsyuk all have all star selections. And if they didn't they were selke winners like Toews, Kopitar, or Bergeron.
He does have a 3rd, 4th, and 6th place finish in the AS voting. Not exactly prestigious, but it shows he’s getting votes and at least some of the voters see him as a center worth mentioning. Even in the years he didn’t finish anywhere in the AS voting he had great seasons outside of 2011. His plus/minus was either mediocre or the center competition was just to deep.

He’s finished 3,3,3,6,6,8,10 among centers in scoring, all while being among the top playmakers in the league. The years he had big numbers, other centers simply were better, not really his fault. He’s been consistently there though, it’s mainly bad luck for the most part.
 

GreatGonzo

Surrounded by Snowflakes
May 26, 2011
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I just think that's too stringent of a criteria. For instance - Yzerman's AS finish was pretty late in his career. If he retires in 1999 instead of playing 2000-06, does he make the HHoF? Of course.
Although During Yzermans peak/prime(‘88-‘93), he had finishes at 3,3,4,4,5,6 in AS voting, Hart finishes at 3 and 4, a Pearson, as well as being the 3rd most dominant offensive player behind Gretzky and Lemieux.

His one year where he was a First team AS, the center position wasn’t as deep. Sakic missed 22 games, Modano had a solid year but defense was the difference maker. Yzerman finished 3rd in scoring among centers with 79 points. In the end, a lot of it was luck. Not saying he didn’t deserve it. Backstrom unfortunately hasn’t been that lucky with his position being constantly deep, whether it’s a center having a bigger year, or guys like Crosby and Malkin consistently being dominant.
 

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