I'm not a person who gets hung up on analytics but I think the fact that they are using advanced stats at these hearings is part of the reason why the Flames are playing a little bit of hardball.
Treliving has definitely taken more of an advanced stats approach this offseason - as both Frolik and Hamilton drove possession on their respective teams. He also signed Backlund pretty quickly despite his injury history but I think he sees that Backlund was the best possession forward on the team over the past couple of seasons. I also suspect that's why Byron was kept around despite him seemingly falling off the depth chart (he drove possession as well for a bottom line player when healthy).
I preface this by saying I do like Bouma and the following stats are just part of the analysis. He benefited from high percentages as well as playing with our best possession forward (Backlund) this past season. I suspect the Flames see a possible regression next season especially since Bouma has been bumped down the depth chart by a guy like Frolik.
He also has the most woeful possession numbers out of all the forwards and was the worst among forwards in terms of shot suppression. I believe there wasn't a single forward that had better possession numbers that played with him compared to playing without him (WOWY). Don't flame me for the link (just don't click into it if you don't want to read it).
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Todd-...ouma/202/69820
I do like Bouma as a player and feel he is a heart and soul guy but I strongly suspect that the above evidence is what the Flames are bringing into the arbitration hearing, because based on counting numbers a 2+ million dollar contract does not seem that unreasonable.
Again, I'm not saying I completely agree and hang my hat on the teachings of the advanced stats crowd, but just giving a possible plausible explanation why this case ended up in arbitration.