Backlund is having a great season this year, he's putting up points, is a plus player on a minus team, he's been healthy(especially compared to his history of "odd injuries"). He's a 2-3 centre on a flickering flames team. If he were on a cup contender, a la Chicago, Washington, NYR, Kings, or even the Stars or Blues, Backlund is a #3 centre filling maybe 1 minute a night as a #2 kind of guy. The flames relying on a combo of Backlund and Stajan as the 2-3 C is not what cup teams are made of. Bennett needs to play his natural C position so that it can be a combo of #23 and #93 as the 1-2 centers (with #93 being the bonefied #1C of the future) and Backlund as the firm #3 and any combo of Stajan, Derek Grant, or someone as the #4. Backlund is the guy you want for #3 on the depth chart when your a cup contender. He's a good 2 way centre but a top 6 center is atleast within a percentage of winning their face-offs, being a career 47% is not top 6 centre quality (being good at takeaways isn't a saving grace...).
Moving forward Backs is not a piece that we trade away. He has tremendous value to a top 6(in the league) team. Instead he is a piece that is designated a roll and solidified into it where he succeeds on a consistent basis. We do that by helping #93 grow into his roll as a creative centre , and by having #23 keep on proving that he is the strong 2 way centre that is coveted most in this league.
Backlund is a very underrated player. The flames need to keep him firmly in the fold and appreciate him for what he is and what he does. He should be the best 3# centre in the league.
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