Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Backlund is a better all-around centre right now. Which means he's the Flames' #1 centre right now.
There's more to hockey than offence. Top teams are built around two-way centres. I'd go as far as to say a team needs an elite two-way centre to win the Cup. Bergeron. Kopitar. Toews. Crosby. I'm not saying Backlund is elite. But Monahan isn't either, when you look at play with the puck and without it.
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Totally agree. If I was to put a comparable to Backlund right now it would be Jordan Staal. He doesn't have Staal's size but he makes up for it with speed and I think has a very comparable defensive instinct. Excellent all around centre who is a core piece to any legitimate team's playoff run.
He may not be the player that gets the glory or scores all the goals, but he is integral to a team competing. People are complaining about how losing Paul Byron has hurt the PK or team speed, that is nothing compared to how much getting rid of Backlund will hurt the Flames. I don't think I'd pay him the $6 Mil Staal gets, but $4-5 isn't unreasonable for an elite 3C/Good 2C.
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