Comments on: Is Nicklas Backstrom Really the 9th Best Center in the NHL?

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:18:07 +0000

If you are going to rank the 10 Dater gave (which is a good list), here’s a better order.

1) Crosby
2) Datsyuk
3) Sedin
4) Backstrom
5) Toews
6) Koivu
7) Malkin
8) Thornton
9) Getzlaf
10) Richards

I could see switching Backstrom and Toews, but not much else. I don’t get people who rate Malkin above Backstrom. Backstrom is better offensively, defensively, and at faceoffs.

By: Russian Machine Never Breaks

Russian Machine Never Breaks — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:26:16 +0000

@breaklance I think Mike Richards is underrated – he plays some TOUGH minutes: Skates against the best competition (along with Pronger) PHI opponents have to offer with less than stellar teammates mostly starting in the defensive zone and still puts up a respectable 1.87 points per 60 minutes on the ice.

-Neil

By: breaklance

breaklance — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:26:55 +0000

I really don’t see Richards as all that great. The year just had doesn’t belong anywhere near the top 10, hows about we put Malkin even with Vinny LeCavalier? I haven’t watched a ton of Koivu to really get a feel for im compared to the others. I also find the list a bit strange for people who aren’t, or haven’t ever, been a point per game player so high on the list. Yeah I understand centers are defensive too, but as top line pivots their biggest job tends to be a) set up your gunners, or b) score.

I’d throw out a few names and put in Ryan Kessler or Jason Spezza. But that is pretty subjective

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By: Russian Machine Never Breaks

Russian Machine Never Breaks — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:02:58 +0000

@KHtaD It doesn’t in of itself, but when you have such elite talent clumped together I feel being part of a winning Cup team helps in prioritizing.

-Neil

By: KHtaD

KHtaD — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 04:21:18 +0000

Just a question – what does having a Cup have to do with how well a player plays C?

By: Comunista Simpatico

Comunista Simpatico — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:55:46 +0000

1. Crosby
2. Sedin
3. Datsyuk
4. Toews
5. Malkin
6. Getzlaf
7. Backstrom
8. Richards
9. Thornton
10. Koivu

This is more like it.

By: L

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:44:48 +0000

Out of those ten I would rank them:
1. Crosby
2. Sedin
3. Toews
4. Richards
5. Datsyuk
6. Malkin
7. Backstrom
8. Getzlaf
9. Thornton
10. Koivu

Can’t believe how high Koivu is on their list…

By: Russian Machine Never Breaks

Russian Machine Never Breaks — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:36:50 +0000

@Netty I think HSedin is on this list by sheer force of recent numbers. He led this Top 10 in Points per 60 min in ’09-10 with 3.96. That’s gaudy. He also did it with a supporting cast weaker than Toews, Datsyuk and Backstrom. I don’t know that Dater took only last years numbers into account or not but I went with a 3yr average.

@BobbyG As you can see, both Toews and Datsyuk play with better teammates over the 3yr span and it’s significantly better in ’09-10 – which says A LOT considering Backstrom does play with Ovechkin. In fact, Backstrom scored more than a point more per 60 mins than Toews/Datsyuk – even tho they played with better teammates, statistically speaking. Dater could get hung by his own argument.

-Neil

By: BobbyG

BobbyG — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:09:10 +0000

I’m familiar with Dater and his opinions on hockey so I’m not surprised by his rankings. I would ask him to answer his own question about why Nicky didn’t make his top 5 but it seems he answered it. It’s bias because he plays with Ovie! Dater thinks Nicky’s offensive numbers are inflated by the fact that he has the (mis)fortune to be playing with arguably the league’s best player. Dater then admits faceoff% carries a lot more weight with him than Nicky’s so-called inflated numbers. This is just Dater being Dater, so take his musings with a huge grain of salt.