Why has Backstrom never been considered for Selke?

[danyhabsfan]

Maybe because he's 7th in forward rank for PK time per game with only 0:55 per game.

 

[Fear]

Give me an argument why he should win it

 

[mja]

I'm confused by this tread, he's clearly garnered regular consideration for the award over the entirety of his career. He's placed in the top 2o 5 times, the top 10 2 times, and has garnered votes in 9 of his prior 11 NHL seasons.

 

[Star Ocean]

Give me an argument why he should win it

He has been elite defensively for a decade.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Because the Selke is a stupid ass award that doesn't mean anything because there's no clear criteria for it and people just vote for whomever they feel like has a good reputation, warranted or not.

Agreed, the criteria are so awkward. Basically it comes down to who tries the most out of a bunch of players trying, but just kind of trying, since all the top players prioritize offense. There's no such thing as defensive skill, there's only skill, which is why Bergeron wouldn't have a single Selke trophy if Crosby had really put his mind and effort into it.

 

[Albatros]

The only players with more points than Backstrom since he entered the NHL are Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, and Kane who are all 1st ballot Hall of Famers. Am I supposed to believe that the top 4 are all slam dunk HoF players but the next player on the list just "mediocre"? By the way, you can disagree with the selection committee all you want but they're the ones voting and they don't base their votes on what YOU think should be the criteria. Not every player is a first ballot hall of famer but Backstrom is going to eclipse 1,200 points which is a rare feat in this era (only 3 active players have 1,200+ points), has several top 10 point finishes, a bunch of top 3 assist finishes, has always been a good defensive center, and has a Cup to his name which he was a huge part in winning. He's getting in whether you agree with it or not.

This criteria is not any better to be honest, every player is elevated if his personal career length at 31 is the measuring stick. There will be many more names on the list before Bäckström unless he adds significantly to his achievements. So far he has led the league once in assists and has no other personal achievements, being a slightly below PPG player that won the cup once is not taking him in.

 

[sr edler]

Bäckström doesn't have the greatest foot speed, that's one reason. Also, I haven't looked at his actual career shorthanded time one ice, but 2 shorthanded points in 895 regular season games kinda hints at the fact that he wasn't PKing very much.

Henrik Zetterberg is a player that should have gotten more Selke cred while he played. He was 9th, 7th, 3rd, 4th, 9th and 12th through his 6 year prime, but that's underselling him quite a bit.

Backstrom seems like this generations Adam Oates. Maybe not a perfect comparison but a lot of similarities. One of the top set up men in the game playing with a goal scoring winner with a ton of personality that gets all the hype. Great player. Definitely underrated.

Decent comparison outside the fact that Oates played like 19 years in the league and only 3 of them with Brett Hull.

 

[kingsholygrail]

He's not blowing up any skirts with his defensive stats. He's good, but the Selke finalists ahead of him were better in that regard. His highest nomination, btw, was 7th in 2016-17.

 

[tony d]

Guy is a solid player, one of the better playmakers in recent memory, solid defensive game as well.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Coaches shouldn't be lobbying for awards

Should players?

 

[authentic]

I don't think he's ever actually been a Selke level player, well above average but it makes sense he isn't being nominated.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I don't think he's ever actually been a Selke level player, well above average but it makes sense he isn't being nominated.

Yeah I agree with this. People love to hate on the Selke as an award based on "being good defensively while scoring a lot of points", but Backstrom is actually the kind of player I think would fit that mold a whole lot more than the usual suspsects who tend to win or be nominated (Toews, Kopitar, Barkov, Datstyuk, Bergeron etc.).

 

[StoneHands]

He has been elite defensively for a decade.

He asked for an argument, not a declarative statement with zero substance.

There are plenty of elite defensive forwards but only one can win the Selke. Koivu, Couturier, Stone, Backlund, RoR, Staal, Hossa, Barkov, and Backes have all or were all elite defensive players for a long time and combine for zero Selke's. What about Backstrom has been better than all of those guys plus Bergeron, Kopitar, Toews, Kesler, and Datsyuk over the past decade? Is the argument that he should win the Selke or are we really debating whether he should be in the 4-6 range instead of the 7-12 range like it really matters at that point?

 

[BlueBull]

being a slightly below PPG player that won the cup once is not taking him in.

Dave Andreychuk Joined the Chat
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[Albatros]

Dave Andreychuk Joined the Chat
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Andreychuk scored 640 goals, including more PP goals than anyone else in league history. Also captained Tampa to their first cup glory and ranks 8th in games played. I can see why he's in.

 

[ovikovy817]

Bäckström doesn't have the greatest foot speed, that's one reason. Also, I haven't looked at his actual career shorthanded time one ice, but 2 shorthanded points in 895 regular season games kinda hints at the fact that he wasn't PKing very much.

Henrik Zetterberg is a player that should have gotten more Selke cred while he played. He was 9th, 7th, 3rd, 4th, 9th and 12th through his 6 year prime, but that's underselling him quite a bit.





Decent comparison outside the fact that Oates played like 19 years in the league and only 3 of them with Brett Hull.

Not a bad shift right there from Nicky

 

[Dbrownss]

He's never struck me as an elite 2 way guy. Doesnt mean he isnt a great player, but there's a reason Bergeron wins it all the time.

 

[Star Ocean]

He asked for an argument, not a declarative statement with zero substance.

“To me he’s a terrific player that doesn’t get enough recognition. He should be a Selke winner (as the NHL’s top two-way forward) one of these years but no one even mentions him

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/washington-capitals/trotz-backstrom-should-be-all-star-selke-winner?amp

Zero substance? Barry trotz know more about hockey than armchair hfposters.

 

[discobob]

He's never struck me as an elite 2 way guy. Doesnt mean he isnt a great player, but there's a reason Bergeron wins it all the time.

Reputation?

 

[member 151739]

Being good at something doesn't mean you should win an award for being best at something.

 

[Golden Puppers]

Honestly just never saw him as much of a horse defensively as guys like Kopitar, Toews, Bergeron, Kesler etc are/were. He's definitely above-average but I wouldn't consider him elite in that regard.

 

[blinds]

He has been elite defensively for a decade.

Backstrom was never elite defensively. He's solid but he's never been the best.

 

[Dbrownss]

Reputation?

Theres a reason he has that reputation

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Barry trotz lobbed hard for backstrom, in vain.

Because voting in the NHL awards is stupid

 

[JasonRoseEh]

One might think rather than reputation, those players are just very good.

Backstrom is better defensively than he is credited for but he never has been the best I imagine.

Isn't the Selke about being great at both, which Backstrom has been. NHL players routinely vote him as such as well, the voting is a joke in the NHL.