Quote:
Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef
And so what if he does? He is still not likely to be significantly better than whomever we pick at 6, not worth the cost of a 2nd line 2-way center. You can't convince me otherwise. You like many others are blinded by the idea of a shiny new top 3 pick and willing to throw away another season to get it.
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It depends on how good you feel Backlund is as a player. I don't see him as a second line center, but as one of the best 3rd line centers. I'm not trashing Backlund when I say that if he's playing on your second line, then you have a problem with not having enough talent in your organization. Evidence being that the Flames were crap this season and he was being used mostly on the 2nd line. No depth or better options at the ready. Selling Backlund now, would also be selling high as he likely won't repeat his production as Bennett will be the 2nd line center from now on.
I'm not being blinded by a shiny new object. I've been spending most of my time arguing for trading down if anything because why not get additional assets when you have the option of getting basically identical players at 6, 8, or 10. The main reasons for arguing in this case to move up is three fold. 1, the Flames have no high quality right shooting players in the organization. That can also be addressed by getting Nylander though, which I do concede. 2, they have no impact players outside of Monahan that are over 6'1" in the organization with the slim possibility that Jankowski hits the highest level of his potential. 3, they haven't had a legit power forward in the organization since Jarome.
My arguing for #3 is that the two things that Puljujarvi bring that any of the players available at #6 are simply not available with #6 or any of the subsequent picks that are likely to be available to us either this year or in years to come. Getting power forwards is rare and they usually cost a boat load. The only other thing that is rare to come by is offensive defensemen that are over 6-3, like getting Hamilton last year. I honestly think that Kyle Connor (who Calgary would have picked at 15) plus the two players Boston picked in round two will eventually be better as a group than Hamilton is or will be. However, using multiple assets to get that rare young defenseman was the right choice. I feel the exact same way about the possibility of getting Puljujarvi. Players like him simply do not come along often.