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Originally Posted by 1qqaaz
Backlund and Frolik are the most productive forwards on the team after Gaudreau, Monahan, and Bennett. I don't see how they're not second liners on our team next season. Especially when they are so reliable and all-around.
Colborne is a bit of a passenger, but he is much more consistent offensively than Ferland, Stajan, Jooris, Bollig, etc. I think he's a solid third liner. I don't think he'll ask for much money.
Do you guys think that Backlund will have injury problems his whole career, or are his health problems truly behind him? In my eyes, injury-prone players are kind of like small players. You can have a few of them on your team, but if you have too many, the entire team can be shut down at times.
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It is tough to say. What makes me feel he isn't much of a concern health-wise is that he doesn't appear to have any repetitive injuries. For instance, he doesn't have a bad knee, or concussion issues, etc.
It is like Giordano. Yes, he hasn't played a full season in a few years, but looking at his injury history, there is nothing that stands out as something that could be a cause for concern moving forward.
Some guys have a few years of 'tough luck' where different injuries strike them, and they get labeled as 'injury prone', but then suddenly a few seasons have passed and you suddenly realize that a player you had pegged as injury prone has been very healthy.
Even guys who have significant risks in the past like Bergeron or even Crosby have been symptom free and healthy after battling through concussions that many thought would end their careers.
Even a guy like Saku Koivu - I had him pegged as 'done' in 1999-2000 for sure after years of injury-riddled seasons, and then cancer. Came back and played another 13 seasons, many of which he didn't miss too much time.
You just never know really. The positive is that it doesn't appear Backlund suffers from anything repetitive or serious thus far in his career, so I would be hesitant to label him as injury prone moving forward.