Quote:
Originally Posted by sworkhard
Finally, last I checked, Backlund's development is right on track compared to the players that were drafted in his ball park in 07 and already in the NHL. Development takes time, but as long as they can hold their own they will stick. Ryan Kesler's wan't put into a top 6 role to start his NHL career either, but by continuous improvement, he's now considered a number 1 centre. Backlund first full year NHL numbers are higher than Kesler's were in his first full year for example.
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Kesler was 18, Backlund was 21.
I think Backlund is going to be a heck of a good player - I don't think that a comparison to Kesler is fair for either player as they are completely different players. I don't want to turn this into a pissing match like every other thread where the Canucks are mentioned though. But Kesler was given more opportunities at a younger age than Backlund and I would say that has helped his development.