micky107 wrote:Question; If it's an important game or part of one, Would Ovy line up Backstom and crush him?
I say he would..
I do think he would, but he'd be biting the hand that feeds him (passes).
If we assume that international hockey tournaments and NHL hockey are at roughly the same level, Ovechkin performs far better when having Bäckström on his line.
In the NHL ha has a 1.15 ppg average.
At the World Championships he has an 0.84 ppg average and in Olympic hockey even worse: 0.65.
He played two games in the 2004 World Cup (granted, at the tender age of 19) and scored 1 goal. No assists. =0.50
I don't know, you could perhaps argue that it is tougher to score in international hockey. This might hold true in Olympic hockey, but considering some of the nations that participate in the World Championships - Nah. It should be easier to score there.
Much easier.
Thus it seems the Russians have not been able to find some one who "feeds" Ovechkin the way Bäckström does.
If he takes him out, he might get in trouble with the Capitals' management...