Post-Game Talk: Stanley Cup Champion Tom Wilson vs the New York Islanders

[CapitalsCupReality]

Was Scottie Pippen a first ballot Hall of Famer? I need to look that up. We all know that Backstrom is criminally underrated. He doesn't want the spot light and resists the team PR campaigns necessary to win votes. He passes on all star games. Trotz didn't accept that to an extent and talked his Selke level play up. Ive heard media talk about Backstrom like that for the first time this season. Maybe this is the season. The Kings suck. The Blackhawks suck. Bergeron is injured. The Caps don't suck and Backstrom is top 10 in scoring.

Backstrom just turned 31. I expect we have not seen all of the best things he can bring. I think the Caps getting hot with Kuzy missing and Backstrom carrying the load is just another sign of how important he really is.

Would be cool if he got some recognition, but he plays a subdued or subtle game. Always has. Sometimes it’s like you didn’t see him in the game and check after and he has a 2 or 3 assists....that hurts him in the voters eyes IMO. Maybe the perfect storm of injuries will help him finally.

I’d like to see some of the “stats posters” do an analysis of his real impact defensively. I’m sure there are some pretty heat maps and things to back up what we as Caps fans think is Selke-level defensive play, but I’ve never seen those things compared to a Bergeron or Toews, Kopitar...

 

[Calicaps]

Was Scottie Pippen a first ballot Hall of Famer? I need to look that up. We all know that Backstrom is criminally underrated. He doesn't want the spot light and resists the team PR campaigns necessary to win votes. He passes on all star games. Trotz didn't accept that to an extent and talked his Selke level play up. Ive heard media talk about Backstrom like that for the first time this season. Maybe this is the season. The Kings suck. The Blackhawks suck. Bergeron is injured. The Caps don't suck and Backstrom is top 10 in scoring.

Backstrom just turned 31. I expect we have not seen all of the best things he can bring. I think the Caps getting hot with Kuzy missing and Backstrom carrying the load is just another sign of how important he really is.

Not that it matters to this discussion, but his peers also consistently name him the league’s most underrated player. The other players know how how truly great he is.

 

[kicksavedave]

Backstrom has over 800pts and just turned 31. He is already superior to Richards and Elias. At minimum he is at the Alfredsson level.

I don't think there's any doubt on here, certainly not with me, that NB is going to end up in the NHL HOF! The question seems to be if he's already cemented as a 1st ballot HOF guy, and I think the jury on that is still out and also depends on who he's up against in his first year of eligibility. I also think, as you point out, that at 31 we haven't seen nearly his final accomplishments and he very well could do some things that make him a mortal lock 1st ballot guy when its all said and done. I'm not sure he is a guaranteed 1st ballot guy today.

Also, his modest, lack of "look at me" antics and his overall calm demeanor certainly don't make him more famous, and his lack of all star games is a problem, but he's also clearly one of the most underrated players of his generation, voted #1 most underrated by his peers recently. How that effects HOF voting remains to be seen. Art Monk got shafted for a decade because he wasn't a media darling.

 

[txpd]

I don't think there's any doubt on here, certainly not with me, that NB is going to end up in the NHL HOF! The question seems to be if he's already cemented as a 1st ballot HOF guy, and I think the jury on that is still out.

I am comparing a player who's career is a little past half over to players who are retired. So, yea. The jury is out in that he is still playing. If he stopped playing now, you are correct

 

[kicksavedave]

Nope not true. Some members here were concerned about offense only. People here argued with me about it. And that is a fact. Now let it go.

Well, instead of me accepting your instruction to let it go, how about you provide some proof of your claims? You know, actual evidence. You accuse people on here of having the wrong attitude about how they choose to enjoy and evaluate the game of hockey. Its not a trivial claim, but you stand by it, to try to make yourself look smarter/better than those other people, so you should submit some actual proof, and only then it will be fine to let it go.

 

[txpd]

I am trying to imagine anyone here arguing that defense doesn't matter. Only offense. ?? Makes no sense. I do recall arguments about certain Caps defensemen not being that good and only effective because of the system in place.

 

[txpd]

Not that it matters to this discussion, but his peers also consistently name him the league’s most underrated player. The other players know how how truly great he is.

I believe its true that the Caps players with regularity over the years say that Backstrom is the best player on the team.

 

[Raikkonen]

Tough situation WRT HOF. Have to win 2-3 cups now. Long preseason ahead.

 

[Raikkonen]

I believe its true that the Caps players with regularity over the years say that Backstrom is the best player on the team.

Thats because Ovi is not human and cant be considered as player.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

If the Caps could win one more cup, they would have a reasonable case for being the best team of their era. The Cup they won changed their legacy significantly. Another cup would lift them near Chicago and Pittsburgh while having more regular season success. Another cup would make the 3 Presi's more relevant.

Over the next few years, I think Chicago's legacy will be dimmed because they are so cap strangled. Crosby and Malkin may well fade before Ovechkin and Backstrom because of injuries. Its a long road yet and I think the Caps are well positioned to continue to challenge

3 beats 2.....(and definitely 1) sad truth. I won’t try to denigrate the Hawks or the Pens. They won. Caps are an honorable mention for this “era” you’re referring to, which is nothing to be ashamed over. I could care less about the claim of best team of the era personally.

I still think they have one more in them.....let’s get that, then worry about who’s the best.

 

[twabby]

3 beats 2.....(and definitely 1) sad truth. I won’t try to denigrate the Hawks or the Pens. They won. Caps are an honorable mention for this “era” you’re referring to, which is nothing to be ashamed over. I could care less about the claim of best team of the era personally.

I still think they have one more in them.....let’s get that, then worry about who’s the best.

I know this is heresy but I don't really agree with "more Cups = better team."

I think the Penguins and Hawks have been better than the Capitals over the Ovechkin era because they too had extended regular season success along with more Cups than the Capitals. But I wouldn't consider the Kings a better team than the Caps. They have one more Cup but I really struggle to put them above the Caps because their peak was short-lived and even then they never had great regular season success. They got hot twice for a few months and then were not really a noteworthy team otherwise.

(Also they are super boring and Cartman is annoying)

 

[txpd]

3 beats 2.....(and definitely 1) sad truth. I won’t try to denigrate the Hawks or the Pens. They won. Caps are an honorable mention for this “era” you’re referring to, which is nothing to be ashamed over. I could care less about the claim of best team of the era personally.

I still think they have one more in them.....let’s get that, then worry about who’s the best.

Ok...maybe they win two more cups. ok? I wouldn't be shocked. Leaving Lombardi out of the conversation Joe Gibbs was the best coach in NFL history before Belichek. The reason he is not generally accepted for that was losing the one super bowl. So, I get the 3 is better than 2 thing.

Not denigrating Chicago or Pittsburgh in the slightest. Quite the opposite. The Capitals reputation was damaged far more that warranted because they hadn't won. Winning that cup has rehabilitated their reputation back to what they have earned.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

It's odd watching how resilient this team has become. Next man up. Kudos to the front office for building a stacked roster and kudos to the past two coaching staffs for making these guys learn and believe.

 

[Midnight Judges]

It's funny 15 Months ago the conventional wisdom was that this was a depleted team.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I know this is heresy but I don't really agree with "more Cups = better team."

I think the Penguins and Hawks have been better than the Capitals over the Ovechkin era because they too had extended regular season success along with more Cups than the Capitals. But I wouldn't consider the Kings a better team than the Caps. They have one more Cup but I really struggle to put them above the Caps because their peak was short-lived and even then they never had great regular season success. They got hot twice for a few months and then were not really a noteworthy team otherwise.

(Also they are super boring and Cartman is annoying)

When the ultimate goal is championships, that’s how greatness will be measured ultimately. You’re definitely going against conventional wisdom.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's funny 15 Months ago the conventional wisdom was that this was a depleted team.

Not by anyone in the know clearly.

Careful, people will start asking you to provide proof.

 

[RandyHolt]

This is also true of most power forwards/net pests.

Tom Wilson, Mike Knuble, Yohan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom.. Claude Lemieux's first few seasons were nothing special either, granted he only played a handful of games and probably had little ice time.

Yep, and IIRC some here were down on Willy over the years, blaming Oates, rushed to the bigs too soon etc.

One memory of Claude, I think he also spent a lot of time laying on the ice, feigning injury. It got so bad his own trainers eventually ignored him.

 

[JohnCarlsaurus]

Yep, and IIRC some here were down on Willy over the years, blaming Oates, rushed to the bigs too soon etc.

One memory of Claude, I think he also spent a lot of time laying on the ice, feigning injury. It got so bad his own trainers eventually ignored him.

Hadn't heard that story

Oh yes, there were a number of people here that had written Willy off as a 3rd liner at best just a season or two ago. But they weren't wrong to blame Oates for misusing him. When in doubt, blame Oates lol

 

[RandyHolt]

Hadn't heard that story

Oh yes, there were a number of people here that had written Willy off as a 3rd liner at best just a season or two ago. But they weren't wrong to blame Oates for misusing him. When in doubt, blame Oates lol

 

[twabby]

When the ultimate goal is championships, that’s how greatness will be measured ultimately. You’re definitely going against conventional wisdom.

The bolded statement is true, no arguments there. However I also think watchability and longevity should be weighed as well and the Capitals are certainly better than the Kings in that regard. Playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons since 2008 and several dominating and fun regular seasons are still great to think about as a fan, even if most of those seasons ended in heartbreak.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Watchability....the Devils laugh.