Why did Backstrom never reach the next level?

Nordic*

Registered User
Oct 12, 2006
20,476
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Tellus
And secondary question; will he ever improve and become an elite center?

What is he lacking to take that extra step. He's strong on the puck, has great vision, puckhandling and passing plus a decent shot. He is also defensively responsible. Is speed his biggest drawback?
 

NobodyBeatsTheWiz

Happy now?
Jun 26, 2004
23,413
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The Burbs
Backstrom is a point-per game player for his career. Other PPG+ centers in the NHL:

Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Thornton (he's close enough).

He is an elite center.

But yeah, it's his skating and his propensity to over-pass that keeps him out of the Hart-contender tier.
 

BrooklynCapsFan

No more choking!
Oct 23, 2002
17,872
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Brooklyn, New York
I don't understand the question.

Think of it more as "why has Backstrom not consistently played to his potential"?

And I think it's an eminently fair question, as his potential is in fact a level or three above where he is currently playing.

edit: I tend to not be overly nitpicky on semantics on this site as we are a very international group.
 
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Stewie G

Needed more hitting!
Oct 19, 2009
2,893
5
Think of it more as "why has Backstrom not consistently played to his potential"?

And I think it's an eminently fair question, as his potential is in fact a level or three above where he is currently playing.
That would be a much more reasonable question. The guy was 4th in the league in points not too long ago. I wasn't sure what next level there was. The fact that his played has dropped off quite a bit since then is a little disconcerting, especially given his contract both in dollars and years remaining.
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,009
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Philadelphia
Backstrom is a point-per game player for his career. Other PPG+ centers in the NHL:

Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Thornton (he's close enough).

He is an elite center.

But yeah, it's his skating and his propensity to over-pass that keeps him out of the Hart-contender tier.

You forgot Jason Spezza. And Pavel Datsyuk is also on the doorstep (Thornton is 0.99 P/G, Datsyuk is 0.98 P/G).
 

Dream Big

Registered User
Jun 10, 2005
5,337
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Axis Mundi
Backstrom is a point-per game player for his career. Other PPG+ centers in the NHL:

Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Thornton (he's close enough).

He is an elite center.

But yeah, it's his skating and his propensity to over-pass that keeps him out of the Hart-contender tier.

38 goals and 125 assists on the power play = 163 points in 425 games.

Playing on the power play is a big boost for any player.

Perhaps all player's points should be compared minus power play points?

It would then be a more fair comparison of all centres. Not just centres that get power play time. Another variable in powerplay time is some teams get more penalties and some less.
 

Acallabeth

Heart ablaze
Jul 30, 2011
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Moscow


Still wish Ovechkin had rifled a shot into this *******'s face. Several head and neck injuries later didn't help.

That would be a much more reasonable question. The guy was 4th in the league in points not too long ago. I wasn't sure what next level there was. The fact that his played has dropped off quite a bit since then is a little disconcerting, especially given his contract both in dollars and years remaining.

His contract value is still good. Nick makes less than his tier of centers (Kopitar, Jumbo, Spezza).

Idk what happened to Backstrom's shooting confidence. He was becoming a real goal-scoring threat and now neutered himself into a 100% passer, which is especially inconvinient as one of his wingers never shoots at all.

Playing on the power play is a big boost for any player.
Perhaps all player's points should be compared minus power play points?
It would then be a more fair comparison of all centres. Not just centres that get power play time. Another variable in powerplay time is some teams get more penalties and some less.

You earn your PP time.
 

Dream Big

Registered User
Jun 10, 2005
5,337
35
Axis Mundi


You earn your PP time.


I agree that's the way it should be. I'm not sure what the criteria is for that on this team.

His contract value is still good. Nick makes less than his tier of centers (Kopitar, Jumbo, Spezza).

$6 mil for 10 years is pretty good coin.

Spezza ($7) and Kopitar ($ 7.5) are their team's Captain.

Thornton, Joe » F SJS 34 2011 2014 3 $6,000,000

Note: Henrik Sedin is the Captain, has a Hart and Art Ross trophy and makes $6.1.
 
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Acallabeth

Heart ablaze
Jul 30, 2011
9,934
1,233
Moscow
Spezza ($7) and Kopitar ($ 7.5) are their team's Captain.

Thornton, Joe » F SJS 34 2011 2014 3 $6,000,000

Note: Henrik Sedin is the Captain, has a Hart and Art Ross trophy and makes $6.1.

Kopitar is not.
Thornton has a $7M cap hit, it's his salary this year that is 6M.
Henrik is also more durable, yeah, he has a great contract.
 

Ajax1995

Registered User
Dec 9, 2002
8,797
859
38 goals and 125 assists on the power play = 163 points in 425 games.

Playing on the power play is a big boost for any player.

Perhaps all player's points should be compared minus power play points?

It would then be a more fair comparison of all centres. Not just centres that get power play time. Another variable in powerplay time is some teams get more penalties and some less.

In '09-'10 Backstrom was 3rd in total points amongst centerman and 3rd in ES points. The next year he was 20th in both, and last year he was 10th in total points and 12th in ES points.

Backstrom's PP/ES point breakdown appears right in line with everyone else as far as point producing centermen are concerned IMO.
 

Mickstix

Registered User
Nov 30, 2010
571
5
Central Florida
When Nicky "feels like it" he's as elite as it gets, imo.. On occasion, you see him pissed off, knocking guys on their ass and taking names.. But it's just not the norm for him.. If anyone could ignite a season long fire under his ass he could be hart material, easy..

But honestly, unless there all fans of learning from watching tape, what coach or player mentor on this team is ever gonna teach or show anyone to be "elite"?? Ovi is just a freak of nature and still doesn't play a 2 way game (like an elite center would need to be) so that rules him out.. All the rookie coaches and underachievers McFail has brought along certainly aren't going to teach him anything he doesn't already know..

Mojo is next in line to pretty much remain the same as he was from the 1st day he put on a Caps uni.. They (Caps) just don't have the personnel or mentors to teach guys to take that next step, imo..
 
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Stewie G

Needed more hitting!
Oct 19, 2009
2,893
5
Can any of the fancy statters dig up Backstrom's numbers the last several years and see where he stacks up against some of the other names being mentioned?
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,009
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Philadelphia
Joe Thornton is neither a particularly speedy, nor explosive player. Heck, neither is Henrik Sedin for that matter. You can take over a game without being a speedster.
 

Langway

In den Wolken
Jul 7, 2006
32,263
8,890
Joe Thornton is neither a particularly speedy, nor explosive player. Heck, neither is Henrik Sedin for that matter. You can take over a game without being a speedster.
It's more of an issue when there's a lack of structure and crisp passing around the player. That's mostly been the case here, particularly since the Boudreau days.
 

Halpysback*

Guest
Bourque elbow aside, he should have been on a line separate from Ovechkin. Their styles don't mesh, he needs to be somewhere where he has more of an opportunity to carry the offense via playmaking and do less physical work/puck retrieval. Like the setup Krejci had with Lucic and Horton or Kopitar with Williams and Brown. Ovechkin would be outstanding with a fast defensive/intangibles center that can do some playmaking but can also defer to him. Ovechkin-Bolland, Ovechkin-Plekanec or Ovechkin-Grabovski would have been absolutely ridiculous tandems, for example.
 

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