Two of the top centers in a center-tastic Eastern Conference are so quiet you could almost consider them sleepers. In a league that is so heavy at the center position, you could get about ten names deep before you come across the names Jason Spezza and Nicklas Backstrom.
At that point you would say to yourself,
“Oh yeah, I forgot about those two. Damn, those guys are good too!”
That’s just fine for each player. Spezza has been overlooked for the better part of his career since the Ottawa Senators drafted him with the second overall pick in 2001. Since that time, he has been the most consistent scorer on some very good Ottawa clubs. With the exile of Daniel Alfredsson, Spezza was given the captain’s “C”, which virtually assures that he will finish his excellent career in the Canadian capital city.
What you do know about Jason Spezza is that he has one of the most annoying, disturbing and creepy laughs in the world. What you don’t know about him is that he has put up 621 points in 611 games. What you know about Spezza is that he is coming off of back surgery and a career low five games played in 2013. What you need to know is that an Olympic team snub has the freshly minted captain itching to start the 2013-14 season hungry to prove the critics, doubters and Canadian Olympic general manager Steve Yzerman wrong.
Nicklas Backstrom has long played in the shadow of his much more boisterous teammate Alexander Ovechkin. The cantankerous Russian is as much style as substance and is as good for a quote as he is for a random underwear pic on a Turkish yacht during the offseason. The more subdued Swede prefers to stay away from the spotlight and the microphone, aside from some forgettable Geico commercials.
Backstrom joined the Capitals in 2006 as the fourth overall pick in the first round. After toiling on a solo tour for two seasons Alex Ovechkin welcomed the silky playmaking Swede with open arms. The two meshed almost immediately and Backstrom reaped the benefits of the mercurial Russian sniper on his left wing. The points piled up quickly with the high-flying Caps before the well seemed to run a tad dry in 2010-11. A slumping Ovechkin meant a less productive Backstrom before the two seemed to find their mojo again last spring.
With 415 points in 412 games Backstrom and Jason Spezza are almost carbon copies of one another. Both men are underrated but successful in the faceoff circle, while choosing to pass first rather than shoot. Both have missed their fair share of games due to back injuries and have each benefitted from having iconic wings on their line for most of their careers. So who do you choose?
As is the case with most of my decisions, I turn to the player who has the better supporting cast. In this case I feel like its Jason Spezza with the Senators. I love what the Sens did this off-season even if it meant sending “Prince Alfie” packing. Acquiring Bobby Ryan will provide an enormous boost to the Senator’s top line and will help the 30-year old Spezza recapture some glory from his younger days. In this matchup, I’ll take Spezza.