Most Underrated Elite Player (Active Players)

[JackStraw]

Someone seriously needs to explain to me why Backstrom isn't OVERrated.

 

Plays an excellent 200 ft game. Fantastic vision, arguably the best pure playmaker in the game today. Very dangerous shot too, he just doesn't shoot much. I would honestly have no problem taking him over Giroux. I think Giroux is a better goal scorer, Backstrom the better playmaker.

[JR Ewing]

Brian Gionta....  SMH

 

We've entered a time where finishing 6th in goals one time qualifies you as elite.

 

The ten most statistically similar players to Brian Gionta:

 

I wouldn't make this MY hill to die on, that's for sure.

[teenagemutantninjahertl]

Thats your opinion and to me BS.  With the Devils he was certainly elite

His point totals in New Jersey: 11, 25, 29, 89, 45, 53, 60.

 

You're calling 60 points elite? The season with 89 points is an out-liar in his career. 60 points was the next highest.

[ruxpin]

Plays an excellent 200 ft game. Fantastic vision, arguably the best pure playmaker in the game today. Very dangerous shot too, he just doesn't shoot much. I would honestly have no problem taking him over Giroux. I think Giroux is a better goal scorer, Backstrom the better playmaker.

 

Maybe.  I think I keep Giroux.

 

My problem with Backstrom is twofold.

 

One is I do think he benefits greatly from Ovechkin.   Then again, who wouldn't?  That by itself certainly doesn't disqualify him.  I hated that argument about Leclair in relation to Lindros.

 

The second is that he comes up smallish when the stakes get higher.   His point production is okay to good in the playoffs but, typically, he wanes down the stretch and doesn't perform where "elite" should be in the playoffs.  With Holtby in net and Ovechkin, Carson, Green (I know he's moved on now, but previously) and the rest of the group, the "elite" players on that club should be showing better results.

 

I'm okay with not calling him overrated, but I resist the "underrated" claim.  He's probably rated where he should be.  If we're defining "underrated" by "doesn't get enough press," then that's probably true enough.

[JackStraw]

ne is I do think he benefits greatly from Ovechkin.   Then again, who wouldn't?  That by itself certainly doesn't disqualify him.  I hated that argument about Leclair in relation to Lindro

 

Doesn't Giroux benefit from playing with Voracek? Didn't he benefit playing with Jagr (and Hartnell for that matter)? Does Toews benefit from playing with the party boy? Etc, etc...

 

The second is that he comes up smallish when the stakes get higher.   His point production is okay to good in the playoffs but, typically, he wanes down the stretch and doesn't perform where "elite" should be in the playoffs.  With Holtby in net and Ovechkin, Carson, Green (I know he's moved on now, but previously) and the rest of the group, the "elite" players on that club should be showing better results

 

Could be. The Caps seem to have attained Canucks/Sharks status as far as post season disappointments. Not sure who to blame for that.

 

I'm okay with not calling him overrated, but I resist the "underrated" claim.  He's probably rated where he should be.  If we're defining "underrated" by "doesn't get enough press," then that's probably true enough.

 

Fair enough. I think he's a top 5 center in the league. But I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. Giroux gets more hype and I think they are almost interchangeable.

[JR Ewing]

Maybe.  I think I keep Giroux.

 

My problem with Backstrom is twofold.

 

One is I do think he benefits greatly from Ovechkin.   Then again, who wouldn't?  That by itself certainly doesn't disqualify him.  I hated that argument about Leclair in relation to Lindros.

 

The second is that he comes up smallish when the stakes get higher.   His point production is okay to good in the playoffs but, typically, he wanes down the stretch and doesn't perform where "elite" should be in the playoffs.  With Holtby in net and Ovechkin, Carson, Green (I know he's moved on now, but previously) and the rest of the group, the "elite" players on that club should be showing better results.

 

I'm okay with not calling him overrated, but I resist the "underrated" claim.  He's probably rated where he should be.  If we're defining "underrated" by "doesn't get enough press," then that's probably true enough.

 

A few years ago, I did a video review of every goal for which Backstrom was credited with an assist. There were some very nice passes in there, but it was stunning how many were Alexander Ovechkin creating a goal out of absolute thin air, where Backstrom was a tertiary factor at best. Playing with a guy who could very well be the best goal scorer in NHL history can make a player look very very good.

[yave1964]

@ruxpin

 

I love Backstrom and hardly know where to begin.

 

Faceoffs. When he came into the league it was his weakest area, he was well below average, under 50 percent each of his first three years. he has worked on it and last year he won 862 and lost only 740, a fantastic percentage, especially going against the top centers in the game.

 

Unlike Ovie, Backstrom never quits. he has established himself as an elite two way forward.

 

60 assists. granted he plays with Ovie who knows how to bury it, but 60 assists. 4 times now, he also had 40 in 48 games during the strike year. As consistent in that category as anyone in the game.

 

Power play stud extrodinaire, he goes down low, dishes the puck, always in the top ten in PPP.

 

Always working on his game. Last preseason he said he was unhappy with his shooting percentage which had been 9 percent for 2 years running. He worked on that, it was nearly 12 percent last season, which is average or a bit better for a center.

 

Unlike most stars he kills penalties and does it well.

 

577 games, 572 points, a point per game player with a ton of other skills that he excels with.

 

The knock is he gets his points from having a superstar linemmate and never wins in the postseason. You could say the same about a lot of players, Thornton, Giroux, come to mind. It is legit as far as it goes, but his skill set and his constant tinkering and getting better make him a superstar.

 

  Would I take Giroux over Backstrom? Of course I would, but that is not the argument. If you say that anyone below Giroux is not a superstar then there are maybe half a dozen superstars in the game tops, because IMHO Giroux is one of the best handful of players in the game. But Backstrom is in that group right below. I think he gets knocked on because of Ovechkin as his linemate, but his non scoring numbers and two way play combined with what he does with Ovechkin make him a star.

[datsun260z]

Brian Gionta....  SMH

 

We've entered a time where finishing 6th in goals one time qualifies you as elite.

 

The ten most statistically similar players to Brian Gionta:

 

I wouldn't make this MY hill to die on, that's for sure.

Bahahahaaa....my hill to die on

 

Eric DAze...now there's a blast from the past. I recall seeing him at GM place back in around 2000 play live. I couldn't believe how huge he was, too bad I believe back troubles stopped him before he really started.

 

Z

[ruxpin]

But I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. Giroux gets more hype and I think they are almost interchangeable.

 

When you put those two statements together, it's hard to argue with you.

 

Maybe Backstrom should feel up some cop ass so he can get more hype/press.

[JagerMeister]

Doesn't Giroux benefit from playing with Voracek? Didn't he benefit playing with Jagr (and Hartnell for that matter)? Does Toews benefit from playing with the party boy? Etc, etc...

 

 

 

 

Could be. The Caps seem to have attained Canucks/Sharks status as far as post season disappointments. Not sure who to blame for that.

 

 

 

 

Fair enough. I think he's a top 5 center in the league. But I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. Giroux gets more hype and I think they are almost interchangeable.

Benefitting from Voracek and a 40 year old jagr is not equivalent to capitalizing from the best goal scorer in the game.  Ovechkin is evidently the superior player to Backstrom, Can't say the same for Voracek in comparison with Giroux.

[JagerMeister]

O vechkins playoff performancesnhave arguably been superior to Backstroms. Either way, they are both quite dissatisfying in the postseason.

Also, Giroux and Backstrom are as interchangeable as two players get.

@ruxpin

 

I love Backstrom and hardly know where to begin.

 

Faceoffs. When he came into the league it was his weakest area, he was well below average, under 50 percent each of his first three years. he has worked on it and last year he won 862 and lost only 740, a fantastic percentage, especially going against the top centers in the game.

 

Unlike Ovie, Backstrom never quits. he has established himself as an elite two way forward.

 

60 assists. granted he plays with Ovie who knows how to bury it, but 60 assists. 4 times now, he also had 40 in 48 games during the strike year. As consistent in that category as anyone in the game.

 

Power play stud extrodinaire, he goes down low, dishes the puck, always in the top ten in PPP.

 

Always working on his game. Last preseason he said he was unhappy with his shooting percentage which had been 9 percent for 2 years running. He worked on that, it was nearly 12 percent last season, which is average or a bit better for a center.

 

Unlike most stars he kills penalties and does it well.

 

577 games, 572 points, a point per game player with a ton of other skills that he excels with.

 

The knock is he gets his points from having a superstar linemmate and never wins in the postseason. You could say the same about a lot of players, Thornton, Giroux, come to mind. It is legit as far as it goes, but his skill set and his constant tinkering and getting better make him a superstar.

 

  Would I take Giroux over Backstrom? Of course I would, but that is not the argument. If you say that anyone below Giroux is not a superstar then there are maybe half a dozen superstars in the game tops, because IMHO Giroux is one of the best handful of players in the game. But Backstrom is in that group right below. I think he gets knocked on because of Ovechkin as his linemate, but his non scoring numbers and two way play combined with what he does with Ovechkin make him a star.

[jammer2]

Thats your opinion and to me BS.  With the Devils he was certainly elite

 

 

Well, look at Gionta's career stats.....statistically speaking....he had *ONE* very nice year....in 05-06 he somehow, someway exploded for 89 pts, the entire rest of his career he surpassed 60 pts only once....and that was exactly 60 pts....a WHOLE lot of 40's and 50's point totals...that is not elite....not even close.

 

 http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=35504

 

 A player with similar stats was Chris Drury (minus the one year anomaly) ....but I'd take him over Gionta any day of the week, way more clutch.

[jammer2]

His point totals in New Jersey: 11, 25, 29, 89, 45, 53, 60.

 

You're calling 60 points elite? The season with 89 points is an out-liar in his career. 60 points was the next highest.

 

 

 Ahhh, did not read through the thread before posting, you made the exact point I was making....first...lol.

[jammer2]

Brian Gionta....  SMH

 

We've entered a time where finishing 6th in goals one time qualifies you as elite.

 

The ten most statistically similar players to Brian Gionta:

 

I wouldn't make this MY hill to die on, that's for sure.

 

 

 Of all the players on that list, I'd say Maruk was the most talented, he was on some pretty stinky teams, didn't always have respectable linemates....and always faced the other teams very best checkers.

[Unleashed Fury]

My choice is Winger Blake Wheeler of the Jets. In the previous 2 seasons he has got over 60 points and more than 25 goals and at least 35 assists or more in those seasons.