Nicklas Backstrom is a Playoff Choker?

[BusQuets]

It seems that the Capitals' #1 center is going to be sent home with another lackluster playoff performance. He has scored 1.0ppg in the regular season throughout his career but has only 0.75ppg in the playoffs while playing with one of the best playoff goal scorers of all time.

Right now Capitals are getting murdered in the center match-up against Pens. Is Backstrom good enough #1 center to make a legit cup run?

Discuss.

Click to read more...

 

[hockeykicker]

lol what? he has 4 goals and 6 assists. come on now

 

[Riptide]

You need to actually break it down more than by playoffs or by individual series. For example, go look at Ovechkin's scoring in the playoffs. His PPG's per round, per playoffs and in game 7s are all fairly decent. But you look at the games in between 2-7 and it's rather embarrassing.

Tonight was a prime example. Washington really needed to win this game. Both to tie the series, to get home ice and to get into Pittsburgh's head about how they can't win without Crosby. Instead he didn't show up and you barely noticed him.

Do the same for Backstrom and you'll have a more accurate representation as to how good/bad he is come playoff time. But that said... 10 points so far doesn't seem so bad on paper.

 

[BusQuets]

lol what? he has 4 goals and 6 assists. come on now

Scored almost half of those points in pp. Is -2 and -3 on evs against Pens. Was once again invisible in 5on5 play.

 

[Homerhawk]

It seems that the Capitals' #1 center is going to be sent home with another lackluster playoff performance. He has scored 1.0ppg in the regular season throughout his career but has only 0.75ppg in the playoffs while playing with one of the best playoff goal scorers of all time.

Right now Capitals are getting murdered in the center match-up against Pens. Is Backstrom good enough #1 center to make a legit cup run?

Discuss.

I don't know about choker, but he certainly doesn't have that "next level" come playoff time. No beast mode, not a clutch performer. Ovechkin takes most of the blame because he's the star, some of which is most certainly deserved, but Backstrom should share more of the public responsibility.

 

[PhoenyX]

I've been saying that Backstrom and Pacioretty suck in the playoffs for years...nice to see other people finally realize that it's true.

 

[hockeykicker]

Scored almost half of those points in pp. Is -2 and -3 on evs against Pens. Was once again invisible in 5on5 play.

so because it happened on the pp then it doesnt count?

 

[thaman8765678]

He's playing on a line with 2 boat anchors.

 

[iBELEAF]

Ovi and Backstrom show up. The rest of the team disappears

 

[BusQuets]

so because it happened on the pp then it doesnt count?

When you're getting killed in 5on5 against the other team's center and losing games those pp points don't matter that much. And my point was also more on a throughout the career where the points also indicate that his production goes down quite a bit in the playoffs.

 

[Greeneye]

Ovi and Backstrom show up. The rest of the team disappears

This certainly wasn't the case tonight, ov is useless 5 on 5. Backstrom wasn't much better.

 

[BusQuets]

Game 7 going on now. Somebody forgot to invite Backstrom though.

 

[shaner8989]

This guy has been a ****ing joke

 

[Cassano]

Yup.

 

[JaegerDice]

No.

He's not a choker. Choking suggests he provides less than expected or less than usual when it matters.

He doesn't.

He gets a disproportionate amount of production off the powerplay during the regular season, which is not sustainable come playoff time.

He gives exactly as much as an informed fan would expect him to give as PP production becomes less impactful.

 

[Kuz]

When you're getting killed in 5on5 against the other team's center and losing games those pp points don't matter that much. And my point was also more on a throughout the career where the points also indicate that his production goes down quite a bit in the playoffs.

Crosby went -3 vs Backström last year didnt matter. Its not like +/- is the answer to it all.

 

[Stuzchuk]

Game 7 going on now. Somebody forgot to invite Backstrom though.

not only Backstrom (I've only noticed Oshie)

the top 6 FWs seem to have stayed home at least the defense and Holtby showed up

EDIT: it's time for WAS to move Ovechkin

 

[EhlersPLDConnor]

He had a wide open chance and flunked it to the side of the post. Definition of a playoff choker right there.

 

[The Great Weal]

Yeah he ****ing sucks. He can't do anything. Might as well trade him to Montreal for a 7th, and I GUESS we will take this no-show.

 

[Knave]

They're playing lackadaisical and on the perimeter again. They tried throwing the body but it's a little too late when you're down 2-0 with 5 minutes left.

Look at them try to cut into the middle of the ice... it's not good.

 

[FireBurningBin]

He had a wide open chance and flunked it to the side of the post. Definition of a playoff choker right there.

He did not have a wide open net on that play.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Backstrom for Duchene

 

[Stephen]

There's plenty of times where his excellent hockey sense puts him in very dangerous scoring areas, but there's that extra bit of patience, hesitation or pass kind of results in a wasted scoring chance. I wonder if that's an affliction of some playmakers.

 

[Zero Requiem]

Bäckström was one of the better Caps players in these playoffs. Ovechkin on the other hand...

 

[Cuttinfrealbirt]

Yes, Backstrom is a playoff choker. But there's nothing special about that.

Ovechkin is a playoff choker.
Oshie is a playoff choker.
Niskanen is a playoff choker.
Holtby is a playoff choker.
Carlson is a playoff choker.
Trotz is a playoff choker.

The only person you could argue isn't, on that roster, is Justin Williams. But when he joined the Caps, he absorbed so much of their choke-aura that he'll never win a Game 7 again.