The leading scorer of the Washington Capitals has 55 points in 54 games and it isn’t Alexander Ovechkin. Nicklas Backstrom is currently the team’s top point getter but few headlines have been written about Backstrom’s excellent season. He is currently fifth in NHL among scoring but continues to play second fiddle to Ovechkin. An argument could be made that Backstrom is the most underrated number-one centre in the NHL.
It seems almost unfathomable that a number-one centre in the NHL can fly under the radar, but Backstrom has managed to do so. It’s hard to get headlines when one of the league’s most dominant personalities is your captain, and linemate. Ovechkin also happens to be one of the most talented players of his generation. Backstrom was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft, but he isn’t even close to being the most talked about player from his draft class despite being its current leading scorer with 549 points in 549 games.
Backstrom has a lot of tools. He may not be the most gifted goal scorer but he is more than capable of scoring when necessary with good hands and an accurate shot. At 6′ 1″ 208 LBS (according to NHL.com), he isn’t going to be intimidated. And while he isn’t the most defensively sound player in the world, he isn’t a detriment to his team either. It helps the Capitals have shored up their defensive game, as a unit, since hiring new head coach Barry Trotz.
Backstrom’s best asset is his playmaking ability. On a Capitals team that was known for playing up tempo offensive hockey, a lot of the offense ran through Ovechkin, but Backstrom played just as big of a role. His setup skills have been a boon for players who have flanked him over the years but his non-flashy style doesn’t get him a lot of recognition. Backstrom is an elite talent but the kinds of plays he makes don’t always end up on the highlight reel.
One thing that has eluded Backstrom and the Capitals is success in the playoffs. Much like the San Jose Sharks, they have possessed an inability to advance in the playoffs despite having a solid team led by star players. Ovechkin has taken much of the heat for the lack of success but winning in the playoffs takes more than a few star players. Could Ovechkin and Backstrom be better? Certainly, but you can say that about most of the Capitals team in recent years as well.
Backstrom did make headlines at the Sochi Olympics. After testing positive for a banned substance that was in his allergy medication, Backstrom notoriously sat out the gold medal game in Sochi where the Swedes lost to Canada and took home the silver. It took months before Backstrom would finally receive his silver medal from the IOC. No athlete likes to be caught failing a drug test, especially when it prevents him from playing in one of the biggest games of his life. The situation will likely not tarnish Backstrom’s career but it’s a shame it took something like that for him to get noticed on a wide scale.
Nicklas Backstrom has quietly compiled a pretty solid NHL career so far as a point per game player, but most don’t seem to know it. Trying to outshine Ovechkin in any capacity is near impossible, and it’s understandable that the quiet go-about-his-business Backstrom isn’t always thought of right off the bat. He doesn’t have the team success other players have nor is Washington the biggest hockey market in the world. Much of this would explain why players who don’t put up the same numbers, but also play on their team’s top line such as Toronto’s Tyler Bozak, or Montreal’s David Desharnais would get more headlines than Backstrom.
Backstrom is an elite player in the NHL and is vastly underrated. Considering the season he is having, it’s about time he gets some of the recognition he deserves.
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