Player Discussion Nicklas Backstrom

[wannabebluesplayer]

Thanks guys. I'll look into the possibility of trading but I can't drop him. Anyone we draft in rounds 1 or 2 aren't allowed to be dropped. If you have an under-performing star, you're stuck with them unless you can trade them.

 

[maacoshark]

Correction, the PP is slumping mostly because of Backstrom.

Maybe a bit but I think our entire unit is slumping. Kuzy is trying to make passes he shouldn't be. Ovi misses a couple wide open nets every game. Pretty much everyone us standing still. Oshie stands in the slot Ovi stands in his office. Carlson moves a bit. Most of our chances lately on the pp have come from point shots from Carlson. Our pp is a mess and it isn't just Backstrom.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Oddly, Nicky seems to be under-performing MoJo in the MoJo spot, and Kuzy is under-performing Nicky in the Nicky spot along the wall.
One of the things that MoJo would do - that Nicky's not really doing - is pivot to the front of the net from that spot, both with and without the puck.
And one of the things that Nicky would do - that Kuzy's not doing - is occasionally shoot the frickin pill from that spot.
So we have a reduced net-front presence and a guy who spends the bulk of the time on the PP with the puck who the D knows won't shoot it. Those things can reduce your effectiveness.
Also think Nicky's puck protection along the wall is better than Kuzy's. Kuzy in a bit of open ice off the wall is scary, but hem him against the boards and he's less shifty and less effective in tight space than Nick.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I don't think Kuznetsov is very effective in the Mojo spot. He's better suited to 19's spot, but he isn't as good as 19 is at that spot either. I think they're better off putting Kuznetsov on the half-wall on PP2 to help rejuvinate that unit, and put Vrana or Burakovsky in the Mojo spot.

The problem I see is that Mojo rarely tried to make fancy plays on the powerplay, he just passed to whoever was open between Backstrom, Oshie, and sometimes Ovechkin. Kuznetsov tries to force too many low percentage passes when the best move is often to just defer to Backstrom.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

#92 and #19 are skilled enough to figure it out themselves. #90 and #19 had their set plays on the PP, they need to recreate that.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Backstrom stunk again last night. Terrible giveaway that directly led to goal #3 (or #4, can't remember which).

 

[maacoshark]

#92 and #19 are skilled enough to figure it out themselves. #90 and #19 had their set plays on the PP, they need to recreate that.

I agree. I think they have to work on chemistry. We could also use a guy to cause havoc for opposing goaltenders. Our pp doesn't have that.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I agree. I think they have to work on chemistry. We could also use a guy to cause havoc for opposing goaltenders. Our pp doesn't have that.

Oshie does a bit of that with his deflection goals on the point shots from Carlson, but it would be good if he could have a Ward/Knuble/Hornqvist mentality at times in front of the net.

 

[maacoshark]

Oshie does a bit of that with his deflection goals on the point shots from Carlson, but it would be good if he could have a Ward/Knuble/Hornqvist mentality at times in front of the net.

In recent games our pp has been Carlson shooting with Oshie trying to deflect it. Teams have shutdown the onetimer from Ovi. With Kuzy replacing Johansson on the pp the Caps should have made some tweaks but it looks like they are trying to run it the same way. Not sure if we need Backstrom and Kuzy on the same pp unit. The pp seems to work better when Backstrom in running it.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

In recent games our pp has been Carlson shooting with Oshie trying to deflect it. Teams have shutdown the onetimer from Ovi. With Kuzy replacing Johansson on the pp the Caps should have made some tweaks but it looks like they are trying to run it the same way. Not sure if we need Backstrom and Kuzy on the same pp unit. The pp seems to work better when Backstrom in running it.

This top unit feels more like the Caps putting all their eggs in the same basket, putting the 4 best forwards plus Carlson out there. We've seen #92 play down low a bit last year and he did a rotation to the front to feed Ovechkin which I haven't seen this year. Look at the first goal in this video.



This is what I want to see if Kuznetsov is on the PP.

 

[txpd]

This is partly why Johansson was more important to that pp and why he was on it and not Kuzy. Little thingsnwe can't see or know.

 

[maacoshark]

This top unit feels more like the Caps putting all their eggs in the same basket, putting the 4 best forwards plus Carlson out there. We've seen #92 play down low a bit last year and he did a rotation to the front to feed Ovechkin which I haven't seen this year. Look at the first goal in this video.



This is what I want to see if Kuznetsov is on the PP.

That is where I would like to see Kuzy on the pp. I've seen him set up Oshie for onetimers from that spot too

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

How has Backstrom looked the last couple of games?

Asking for my own selfish reasons (have him in my pool) but his relatively low production to this point is probably concerning to Caps fans too.

I know he's severely snake bit right now in the goals department but he's been super consistent historically so surely he's going to turn around at some point and heat up, right?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

How has Backstrom looked the last couple of games?

Asking for my own selfish reasons (have him in my pool) but his relatively low production to this point is probably concerning to Caps fans too.

I know he's severely snake bit right now in the goals department but he's been super consistent historically so surely he's going to turn around at some point and heat up, right?

The assists seem to be back (4 assists in the past 5 games), but he is incapable of putting one in the back of the net. It won't last forever obviously. If you had the patience to go through a 20 game goal drought, you might as well wait for its imminent end. His longest drought was 23 games in 2015. He was just put on the same line as Ovechkin and Wilson 10 days ago after playing most of the season so far with Stephenson and Oshie, so be patient and the points will come.

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

The assists seem to be back (4 assists in the past 5 games), but he is incapable of putting one in the back of the net. It won't last forever obviously. If you had the patience to go through a 20 game goal drought, you might as well wait for its imminent end. His longest drought was 23 games in 2015. He was just put on the same line as Ovechkin and Wilson 10 days ago after playing most of the season so far with Stephenson and Oshie, so be patient and the points will come.

Thanks. I actually traded for him a little over a week ago, right before he was reunited with Ovie, so I avoided the big point drought that preceded it. Being he's normally so consistent I was (and still am) confident he will go on a tear and finish the year strong. Probably not 80+ strong but at least 70+ would be nice considering what I gave up for him. It would be nice to see some more three and four point nights again soon.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Thanks. I actually traded for him a little over a week ago, right before he was reunited with Ovie, so I avoided the big point drought that preceded it. Being he's normally so consistent I was (and still am) confident he will go on a tear and finish the year strong. Probably not 80+ strong but at least 70+ would be nice considering what I gave up for him. It would be nice to see some more three and four point nights again soon.

70 points is a reasonable expectation for Backstrom. He has never scored less than 65 points in a single season where he didn't get injured. He's one of the most consistent players, a world-class playmaker and he has the privilege to have the best goalscorer in the game next to him. He'll get his points, don't worry. I think you were smart to get him when his value was at its lowest.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Is the falling out with Ovy confirmed?

Is tat the reason he is sucking this season?

 

[Calicaps]

Is the falling out with Ovy confirmed?

Is tat the reason he is sucking this season?

No and no. The supposed hostility between them has been alternately confirmed and refuted by people close to the team. Read through our roster thread to see the discussion.

As for Backstrom's bad play, no clue. Lots of guesses, no real answers.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

No and no. The supposed hostility between them has been alternately confirmed and refuted by people close to the team. Read through our roster thread to see the discussion.

As for Backstrom's bad play, no clue. Lots of guesses, no real answers.

Thanks for your response!

There is literally no chance that this is a normal decline due to age, he should still be in the midst of his peak.

Something is clearly wrong, perhaps we will find out after the season is over.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Thanks for your response!

There is literally no chance that this is a normal decline due to age, he should still be in the midst of his peak.

Something is clearly wrong, perhaps we will find out after the season is over.

It's called a slump. Sometimes things jut don't go your way. It'll be fine, I promise.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

It's called a slump. Sometimes things jut don't go your way. It'll be fine, I promise.

Slump is one thing, but his whole game seems to be totally off.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Slump is one thing, but his whole game seems to be totally off.

Not to me. He's still the same superb defensive player he was last year.

 

[txpd]

Slump is one thing, but his whole game seems to be totally off.

are you watching? his entire game isn't off. his faceoffs are nicely over 50%. His overall defensive game has been strong. The Caps have had the same PP1 for several years. Johansson out and Kuznetsov in has had a lot more effect than people would think. Backstrom is used to having the puck. Johansson passed it almost right away. Kuznetsov wants the puck like Backstrom.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I’m giving this thread the Scrooge treatment until he starts playing better.

 

[Derg12]

From a fantasy perspective - is he hurt? I don't get how often he's had games where he contributes absolutely nothing.