Why did Backstrom never reach the next level?

[RandyHolt]

He doesn't shoot enough

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Shot mor!

 

[bottomofthefoodchain]

He's better without Ovechkin.
I know most of you are are gonna call bs, but really though, its true. Look at the goals against Philly. Would Bäckström ever take those shots with Ovechkin on his line? Probably not. He knows Ovechkin has a better shot than him and he would probably pass the puck to him.
Forsberg had the same "problem". He could probably have been a 40-50 goal scorer but he would rather pass the puck to the so called "snipers" than put the puck on the net himself, because that what he was more or less raised to do.
Bäckström is an awesome playmaker and he has probably been told he is for his entire life. However, I know he has a very accurate shot I wish he would use it more, something he only seem to do when he has to, in other words when Ovechkin is injured/suspended.

 

[Liberati0n*]

I've never thought Backstrom and Ovechkin had any chemistry. They are two good players playing together and they produce accordingly most of the time.

 

[EHCler]

Free Backstrom.

No on a serious note maybe split up Backstrom and Ovi will help our offense. Grabo with Ovi may be a good fit.

 

[Wsj1994]

Its funny, his hockeysfuture prospect analysis mentioned that he had a tendency to overpass while not utilizing an accurate shot.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/nicklas_backstrom/

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

Here's what I posted in another forum regarding Backstrom and Ovechkin. I'll just leave it here since it applies to the subject.




Keep Backstrom and Ovechkin separate. I think last night proved when Backstrom's main responsibility isn't "get puck to Ovechkin" he will actually be very creative and shoot quite often... and shoot quite well.

Put Ovechkin with a center who won't lose their ability to score goals if he's on their line. This means that he can't go with Grabovski because Grwbovski can actually score goals, plus his line is playing very well right now.

This means Ovechkin goes with Johansson as his center because, quite frankly, Johansson sucks at scoring goals. Regardless of who is on his line he's always looking to pass. That would be perfect if he was centering Ovechkin.

I've heard people complaining that Backstrom was not an elite center. People were hoping he'd be a Crosby, a Malkin, a Towes, etc. Well frankly, he'll never be that good if he's stuck playing second fiddle to Ovechkin feeding him the puck so he can take 10 shots a game.

The Flyers suck but they weren't really giving up goals. Mason's GAA was something like .920 going into last night's game. Backstrom scored twice. Not a chance in hell that happens if Ovechkin is playing on his line. No way.

 

[FloridaCap]

Here's what I posted in another forum regarding Backstrom and Ovechkin. I'll just leave it here since it applies to the subject.




Keep Backstrom and Ovechkin separate. I think last night proved when Backstrom's main responsibility isn't "get puck to Ovechkin" he will actually be very creative and shoot quite often... and shoot quite well.

Put Ovechkin with a center who won't lose their ability to score goals if he's on their line. This means that he can't go with Grabovski because Grwbovski can actually score goals, plus his line is playing very well right now.

This means Ovechkin goes with Johansson as his center because, quite frankly, Johansson sucks at scoring goals. Regardless of who is on his line he's always looking to pass. That would be perfect if he was centering Ovechkin.

I've heard people complaining that Backstrom was not an elite center. People were hoping he'd be a Crosby, a Malkin, a Towes, etc. Well frankly, he'll never be that good if he's stuck playing second fiddle to Ovechkin feeding him the puck so he can take 10 shots a game.

The Flyers suck but they weren't really giving up goals. Mason's GAA was something like .920 going into last night's game. Backstrom scored twice. Not a chance in hell that happens if Ovechkin is playing on his line. No way.

I think we're overrating last night's performance in terms of thinking Backstrom was some sniper.

He had 2 goals on 2 shots. 2 shots. That is a hair over his season average of shots per game. One is an easy save about 99% of the time, and the other was a really nice shot. It's not like he scored a couple times on 6 shots.

With that said, I wouldn't be opposed to trying them on separate lines (Erat-Backstrom-Fehr/Brouwer, Laich-Mojo-Ovi? I like Fehr more than Brouwer, but Brouwer seems to be a lock in the top-6 for whatever reason, and you can't break up Chimmer-Grabo-Ward right now). Problem with the 21-90-8 line is none of them can reliably win faceoffs, which is an instant source of goals for Ovechkin.

 

[Acallabeth]

I don't think we should separate AO and Nick.

Does Ovechkin grab the puck, not allowing 19 to shoot? Doesn't he make passes when it's the best opportunity? If Backstrom can't play as he can on Ovi's line, we need to get his head straight, not find linemates with whom His Majesty will play up to his abilities.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

I don't think we should separate AO and Nick.

Does Ovechkin grab the puck, not allowing 19 to shoot? Doesn't he make passes when it's the best opportunity? If Backstrom can't play as he can on Ovi's line, we need to get his head straight, not find linemates with whom His Majesty will play up to his abilities.

It's not about what Ovie does, it's about how Nick plays when he's with Ovie.

 

[Mothra]

Nice pun.


It's not, but it can be a product of the unit the player's on or how it's run, and it's viewed as unsustainable in the playoffs. A majority of the game is also played at even strength, and you want to be able to trust your players to tilt things in the right direction there. Backstrom is definitely an elite PP player though.

a productive PP can carry a team in the playoffs.....for the Caps it has been ineffective in the playoffs, but a general rule of thumb is you need to be able to get it done on the PP and PK to go deep

 

[Devil Dancer]

a productive PP can carry a team in the playoffs.....for the Caps it has been ineffective in the playoffs, but a general rule of thumb is you need to be able to get it done on the PP and PK to go deep

Did you miss the Rangers series last year?

 

[Acallabeth]

It's not about what Ovie does, it's about how Nick plays when he's with Ovie.

That's what I'm talking about. It's not a problem with lines or other players, it's a problem with Nick. If we split them and have a need to play him with AO again later, does he go back to non-shooting? Backstrom needs to learn to play his best hockey under any circumstances and on any line, or we risk to get 2 average top-6 lines instead of a dominant 1st line.

 

[FloridaCap]

a productive PP can carry a team in the playoffs.....for the Caps it has been ineffective in the playoffs, but a general rule of thumb is you need to be able to get it done on the PP and PK to go deep

That would require being awarded with a PP in the playoffs, first.

 

[Mothra]

Did you miss the Rangers series last year?

of course not....are you totally missing what im saying?

an effective PP would have likely been the difference...same in the MTL series. Teams that got deep often get that far by doing well on the PP, the PK, or likely both

 

[Mothra]

That would require being awarded with a PP in the playoffs, first.

well the refs arent going to just hand them out....there have been plenty of questionable calls/non-calls but all teams not playing in Pit have to deal with that. You need to go in ugly areas and make them blow the whistle

 

[RandyHolt]

Maybe Ovi just needs to tell Nick to shoot more. It may make Ovi's job easier in the end.

I do think Erat is great for Nick if wanting him to shoot more helps our team. Erat seems to pass it such that it would be hard to not shoot it.

If we ever mirrored our PP, I would love to see him in the slot. Maybe that is what is needed to make him shoot more. Ain't happening, I know.

 

[Ajax1995]

...or we risk to get 2 average top-6 lines instead of a dominant 1st line.

Or instead of having one line that other teams can load up against defensively they would instead have two and force teams to choose.

The only time I can remember them getting split up was out of desperation in the playoffs in '09 and '10.

I'm for whatever makes this team better. I'd like to see them split up for a while and if Backstrom plays better without Ovechkin and Ovechkin's play doesn't drop off much without Backstrom IMO that makes the Caps a better team, especially in the playoffs.

 

[dylanmacarthur]

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?

I think he reads HF.

 

[txpd]

no...the idea that he is not an elite center is ridiculous. he doesn't have to read this mess to know that.

 

[Acallabeth]

no...the idea that he is not an elite center is ridiculous. he doesn't have to read this mess to know that.

He had to read to know some guys don't consider him one

 

[txpd]

not really. that's what vogel is for. he delivered the information to backstrom in the form of a joke and backstrom laughed. next thing you know, people will be posting that ovechkin is a bad captain.

 

[Devil Dancer]

of course not....are you totally missing what im saying?

an effective PP would have likely been the difference...same in the MTL series. Teams that got deep often get that far by doing well on the PP, the PK, or likely both

No, you're missing the point. There were no PPs in that series. Games 5-7 were all about waiting for, and not getting, PP opportunities. Do you not remember all of those missed calls? The refs putting their whistles away while the Caps flailed away at ES?

 

[Ajax1995]

Yeah IMO the risk of relying on your PP come playoff time isn't as much that it is easier to PK against the same PP when you have time to prepare for it and are seeing it many games in a row, though there is that, but more that you can't depend on getting PP opportunities, especially as games get into the 3rd period and OT.

For example in the regular season last year the Caps had 164 PPs in 48 games for an average of 3.42 per game. In the 7 playoff games against the Rangers they had 16 PPs for an average of 2.29 per game.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Yeah IMO the risk of relying on your PP come playoff time isn't as much that it is easier to PK against the same PP when you have time to prepare for it and are seeing it many games in a row, though there is that, but more that you can't depend on getting PP opportunities, especially as games get into the 3rd period and OT.

For example in the regular season last year the Caps had 164 PPs in 48 games for an average of 3.42 per game. In the 7 playoff games against the Rangers they had 16 PPs for an average of 2.29 per game.

Also consider that the Capitals are a poor possession team. It's hard to draw a penalty in the postseason. It's even harder when you don't have the puck.