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Calgary4LIfe · 01-18-2020, 10:26 AM

Count me in as thinking that Backlund is still by far the Flames' best 'shut-down centre', and I really feel he is being misused as a winger right now.

You can't argue with the results that Calgary has had in wins/losses, but Backlund has been one of the NHL's elite defensive centres. Not just 'good', but rather elite at his job. So why change his job? We have also heard how important it is to have depth at centre, and how centres help a team to control the game, and how much more important a centre is over a winger.

Monahan-Lindholm is unquestionably a solid 1-2 punch capable of generating offence regularly. Backlund and Ryan as a 1-2 punch are unquestionably great in their own zones and you don't really have to worry so much about the opposing team's top lines, while still generating depth scoring. Sure, Backlund is having a bit of a down year offensively, but that's what he has always done, and I would expect him to snap out of it while playing centre.

I also think that this will free-up Jankowski and get him thinking offence more. This is a very down year for him given his two previous years, and given the centre depth, he should be pushed to the wing on any of the lines (and rotated just like everyone else) until there is a fit.

I was hoping that Ward does this before any trades take place. Backlund has a fairly good track record of getting his wingers to produce (Bouma, Colborne, Bennett and definitely some synergy with Tkachuk, not to mention Frolik as well).

Now that Monahan is playing a much more effective game defensively, I really believe it makes the Flames so much more difficult to play against and match-up against, and they will never really be worried about being caught on a bad line change.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Bennett
Tkachuk- Lindholm -Mangiapane
Jankowski - Backlund - Dube
Lucic - Ryan - Rieder/Rinaldo

Move the wingers - including Mangiapane - around until there are fits. I really like Mangiapane's game, but he is not producing. Maybe just keep the pairings (though up in the air who the pairing would be with Backlund - maybe Bennett?) until there are solid lines emerging.

I just feel that Backlund is being a rather large wasted asset, and I think that is part of the reason why the Flames underlying numbers haven't been as strong and correlating with the actual win/loss record.

Another benefit to this is that you can divide the ice-time 5v5 rather evenly - really rolling 4 lines - and this will make the team much more fresh for the playoffs.

01-18-2020, 10:26 AM	#14
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	Count me in as thinking that Backlund is still by far the Flames' best 'shut-down centre', and I really feel he is being misused as a winger right now. You can't argue with the results that Calgary has had in wins/losses, but Backlund has been one of the NHL's elite defensive centres. Not just 'good', but rather elite at his job. So why change his job? We have also heard how important it is to have depth at centre, and how centres help a team to control the game, and how much more important a centre is over a winger. Monahan-Lindholm is unquestionably a solid 1-2 punch capable of generating offence regularly. Backlund and Ryan as a 1-2 punch are unquestionably great in their own zones and you don't really have to worry so much about the opposing team's top lines, while still generating depth scoring. Sure, Backlund is having a bit of a down year offensively, but that's what he has always done, and I would expect him to snap out of it while playing centre. I also think that this will free-up Jankowski and get him thinking offence more. This is a very down year for him given his two previous years, and given the centre depth, he should be pushed to the wing on any of the lines (and rotated just like everyone else) until there is a fit. I was hoping that Ward does this before any trades take place. Backlund has a fairly good track record of getting his wingers to produce (Bouma, Colborne, Bennett and definitely some synergy with Tkachuk, not to mention Frolik as well). Now that Monahan is playing a much more effective game defensively, I really believe it makes the Flames so much more difficult to play against and match-up against, and they will never really be worried about being caught on a bad line change. Gaudreau - Monahan - Bennett Tkachuk- Lindholm -Mangiapane Jankowski - Backlund - Dube Lucic - Ryan - Rieder/Rinaldo Move the wingers - including Mangiapane - around until there are fits. I really like Mangiapane's game, but he is not producing. Maybe just keep the pairings (though up in the air who the pairing would be with Backlund - maybe Bennett?) until there are solid lines emerging. I just feel that Backlund is being a rather large wasted asset, and I think that is part of the reason why the Flames underlying numbers haven't been as strong and correlating with the actual win/loss record. Another benefit to this is that you can divide the ice-time 5v5 rather evenly - really rolling 4 lines - and this will make the team much more fresh for the playoffs.