ForceAtHome said:
For what it's worth, Backstrom has centered Ovechkin for over half the season. Though, considering how little they've produced together at 5-on-5, I'm not sure that's even relevant. Still, we're talking about a 26-year-old who has been at a point per game for his career (483 points in 483 games). There's only six active players in the NHL over 500 points at a point per game: Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Jagr, Selanne, Spezza. Backstrom is in elite company.
As for Oates, he damn near refuses to play guys on their off wing. Oates is the reason Ovechkin is no longer a LW and he wouldn't let 11-year NHL vet Martin Erat play on his normal RW. Oates is very particular about having handedness of defensemen match up as well, further emphasizing Washington's need for a LH shooting defenseman.
I wonder how much if at all that contributed to Erat not really working out in DC. I'm trying to think back to Oates' playing career and whether he played much with guys who played their off-wing. Obviously the guys I associate him with are right-shot RWs Cam Neely and Brett Hull. The only really prominent off-wing guy he might have played with is Shanahan, though if memory serves Shanny played mostly with Nelson Emerson. I think he was teammates with Jagr for a year but I don't remember if they played on the same line or not.
I get not wanting guys to do it. I look at the Flyers roster and all the RWs they have and I feel like the roster "works" better if Jake Voracek plays LW. But at some point you have to play guys at their natural position. Would be funny if the Caps signed Vanek and Oates told him to play right.