Originally Posted by barbogast (Post 15840966)

Really irritates me Nick Backstrom continues to get zero credit from anyone. Watching NHL Tonight and they talked about the Kane injury and they popped the scoring race graphic on the screen, and the dickwad hosting says "there you'll see Kane tied with Jake Voracek at 64 points for the league lead in scoring". Meanwhile there's a third guy, right there in front of him, who also has 64 points. Not too surprisingly, that name was ignored. People like Rick Nash and Patrick Kane and John Taveres, etc are constantly crammed down everyone's throats as the top 5 players in the league. I mean whatever, I guess it's not really all that important whether or not the rest of the league is aware, and fortunately Nick Backstrom gives zero fucks if anyone considers him a top 5 player (which he absolutely is) but it would just be nice to hear him talked about a little more. He's having as good a year as anyone and is playing the best hockey of his career so far, and still when the Caps are talked about it's always how much better Ovechkin has been under Trotz.

End of rant, I just really hope the guy wins the Ross. He deserves some kind of major award, and it obviously won't be one that is voted on.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15840999)

i'm not even going to get started because i won't stop...

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15840974)

honestly, it's kind of like that in every sport..you know what will help backstrom? a deep playoff run where he is productive

for example, Andrew McCutchen had been playing at an MVP level for a few years before winning it. and when he did win it, it wasn't even his best statistical year. you know what the difference was? winning & making the playoffs...

not hatin', just sayin'

it also "hurts" Backstrom that he's playing with Ovie...that's not really fair, but it hurts him

Originally Posted by bonzo48280 (Post 15841019)

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: As Hawks shift through their trade options now in wake of Kane injury, hearing that Antoine Vermette is a player they like among others...

Originally Posted by barbogast (Post 15841025)

Yeah, I agree with all of this. Still gets kinda old never hearing about how good he really is. Especially the part about playing with Ovechkin, that's spot on. Backstrom will be first to say he enjoys not being in the spotlight though. And obviously Ovie loves the spotlight. The thing is, I really don't think Ovie would score nearly as often as he does if he didn't have the best passer in the game as his center. Just adds to the annoyance.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841042)

:rolleyes i'll let that one slide...

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841042)

and even though they are playing good hockey, i'm still not quite sure they have the forward depth to truly compete for a Cup, but they are headed in the right direction. If a team can find a way to semi-neutralize the Ovie-Backstrom-Ward line, the Caps are going to have a hard time advancing

Originally Posted by barbogast (Post 15841064)

I'm definitely not sold, especially at forward. Really it's been more like the Ovie-Nick-whoever line, they've had 8 different RWers in that spot at some point this season. That ain't Cup stuff. There's some depth guys have underrated seasons (Eric Fehr and Marcus Johansson come quickly to mind) but they really need to solidify that top RW spot. That's the deadline deal the Caps need to make, but they need to be smart about it. There's some good prospects in the pipeline, don't wanna do anything stupid

Originally Posted by fonzz41 (Post 15841101)

Yeah. I actually really like Washington's checking depth. Bottom two lines. Chimera, Brouwer, Laich... all really good guys who'd want on your third and fourth lines.

I agree that Fehr is underrated and Johansson has had a great year. One more piece could make a big difference.

Originally Posted by barbogast (Post 15841064)

Sorry, he's better

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841135)

said every playoff team ever

Originally Posted by TMoore4075 (Post 15841161)

I always look back pre lost season and look at how the Wings spent. Went and got Schneider at the 03 deadline to add to their already stacked team, only to get swept in round one. The next year with an even more stacked team, got the leading scorer in the league, Robert Lang and barely got out of round one and lost in round two. Their BIG move in 2008 was getting Brad Stuart. He was the perfect fit with Kronwall and had a great playoff and they won the Cup. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Originally Posted by lockman21 (Post 15840782)

I like the idea of Vermette now (where as before the injury I was leaning towards Bickell for Glencross). The injury I think forces us to move Bickell this offseason instead, and pick up someone like Vermette and move Shaw to a wing. Top 9 could line up like this:

Saad - Toews - Hossa
Sharp - Richards - Versteeg
Bickell - Vermette - Shaw

Originally Posted by bonzo48280 (Post 15841019)

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: As Hawks shift through their trade options now in wake of Kane injury, hearing that Antoine Vermette is a player they like among others...

Originally Posted by lockman21 (Post 15841247)

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841203)

oh yea i hear ya

in '08 the Pens went and got Hossa & Hal Gill, made a deep run and came 2 games from winning the cup

in '09 they go and get Bill Guerin and finish the deal

but in 13 they go and get Iginla and fucking melt all over the place

i often feel like the top 4 defenseman makes a bigger difference than the top 6 forward in deadline deals...depending on the team of course

Originally Posted by fonzz41 (Post 15841269)

Yep. The key, I think, is to build your core and keep it as your foundation, then use events like the trade deadline to add complementary pieces. If you're out trying to land your cornerstone at the deadline, you're probably going to be disappointed.

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, like Tim said, and it's tricky. You don't need a guy to come in and score a bunch of goals. They just need to fit in, fill a hole that was there before them, thereby allowing everything else to kind of just sync up and start operating at peak efficiency. You don't always need a superstar for that, as you pointed out with some of your examples.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841286)

:thumbsup:thumbsup

so Jan Hejda...is he available or what? he'd look great in black & gold

Originally Posted by fonzz41 (Post 15841294)

He's all yours if you want him.

I like the guy, but he's coming up on UFA and is old. He won't be re-signed, so they should probably let him go as a rental and get something for him. He's steady, yet unspectacular. I have a feeling he'd do even better on a team that wasn't so run-and-gun like the Avs. Even so, I think he's a big contributor to someone like Erik Johnson's success. Having him as a partner has allowed EJ to join the rush and take more chances, knowing that Jan is covering for him. He'd look good next to Mr. Maatta

I've heard the Avs are listening to offers for him, and they'd be stupid not to. Once guys like Sekera get snatched up, he becomes a good plan B option.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841308)

to the bolded: i doubt that would actually ever happen, unfortunately. i couldn't see the Penguins signing him after this season

i think he'd be a nice addition for a low price on the Pittsburgh blue line, maybe replace Bortuzzo or Despres

i like that this coaching staff is finally letting Despres play, but man, he makes some AWFUL mistakes and turnovers...the most inconsistent defenseman i've seen in a long time

Originally Posted by fonzz41 (Post 15841340)

Yeah, I think he'd be viewed by anyone purely as a rental player because of his age.

How old is Despres? The average d-man takes about twice as long to adjust to the NHL as a forward, so it could just be that he needs to grow a little more. I hope so... kid's got loads of potential.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841343)

Despres is 23, and the Bylsma regime hated him so he's behind on playing time & experience

i realize he's young, which is fine, but the decision making & turnovers are egregious...i expected a tighter game from him by now

can't have that in the playoffs

Originally Posted by fonzz41 (Post 15841365)

For sure. I'm interested to see if the increased playing time, and maybe an offseason of work, will make a difference.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841151)

:lol Backstrom is a really good passer don't get me wrong, but Sid is next level...scary good

Originally Posted by TMoore4075 (Post 15841520)

Yeah, he barely checked him and he fell awkwardly. Must have hit it just right, or just wrong I guess. Forgot that no US born player had won the Hart and we could have had that. We won't now.

Originally Posted by barbogast (Post 15841533)

As is Backstrom. In pure passing terms, he's every bit as good as Crosby. Probably better.

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841535)

yea that sucks, we'll get one someday i'm sure

while we're talking about the Hart trophy, can anyone explain to me how Gretzky won the Hart instead of Lemieux in 1988-89??

Gretzky: 54 Goals, 114 assists, 168 points, +15

Lemieux: 85 goals, 114 assists, 199 points, +41

Lemieux put up those numbers in 76 games, btw...absurd

Originally Posted by hailtopitt (Post 15841540)

he's not, but i digress

Originally Posted by TMoore4075 (Post 15841553)

Looked back at the season and the season before and I dunno. Both teams improved (LA and PIT) from the year before, neither team was better than the other record-wise really. Not really sure on that one at all. Maybe just cause he brought LA out of nowhere....no real reason I can think of.

Originally Posted by barbogast (Post 15841558)

As always, Backstrom doesn't get the credit he deserves

He is THE BEST passer currently in the NHL, though I'm sure if you asked the everyday NHL fan they would unanimously say it's Sid. It's to be expected, really