[Flash Walken]

Here's a pet theory on why Backlund is scoring more:

Effort away from the puck. Not his, but his linemates.

I think Backlund was getting absolutely chewed up playing with Gaudreau and Monahan, the heavy lifting on that line is like Thor's hammer. Tonight, Tkachuk and mangiapane were just so good and playing so hard for each other. Tkachuk was especially noticeable in my opinion for staying low on the breakout, allowing Backlund to actually be the high man in exchanges where he was already in that position. Mangiapane is just so good at hustling out there. Effort all the time. Effort is such a huge commodity, it's so much of what made Hathaway a good player. Tkachuk has it too. So does Backlund. Hustle hustle hustle.

Anyway, Backlund's goals and increased offense has basically come in one form.

I just went back through and watched backlund's recent series of goals back.

Against Anaheim on feb 13, the first goal off the nice assist is created by a Tkachuk hustle/hit-created turnover to mangiapane, and Backlund is able to skate down from the easy high defensive position and score into an open net.

His second goal that game is an unbelievable individual effort on the penalty kill. Where he picks off a pass and goes coast to coast.

The first goal he scores in boston is because Tkachuk is hard in on a forecheck and gets to a puck early and makes a play. Mangiapane is right there with him for support, the puck moves around, backlund shoots into an open net off a rebound.

His second goal in that game, Tkachuk is AGAIN in first on a puck, moving it to reider for a 2 on 1 with backlund firing it into the open net.

Tonight, it's another great individual effort and am empty net goal.

I think playing with Monahan and Gaudreau, it's basically impossible for him to play his game. Gaudreau is relying on bang bang plays at odd angles with no speed to their game at all. Gaudreau and Monahan, but especially Gaudreau really overhandle the puck. This means turnovers happen all over the place, there's no rhyme or reason to how things are going to go, it's all seat of the pants.

Tkachuk - Backlund - Mangiapane play a 3rd man high triangle game, and Backlund has to do very little of the dirty work on his line compared to doing ALL of the dirty work with Gaudreau and Monahan. Tkachuk and Mangiapane are constantly digging pucks out. Going into 50-50 or 40-60 scenarios and coming out with the puck.

I'm not saying he needs an open net to score, I'm saying he needs to play with guys who have the same hustle he does so when the puck finds him, the net is open. If that's not available, he needs the freedom to push the puck up the ice and play for himself without worrying about where his linemates are.

With Tkachuk, Backlund gets to play worry free positional hockey, and when the opportunity is there, he gets to go for it. It's basically the exact opposite of playing with Gaudreau and Monahan. At no point tonight was he neutered because his linemates were relying on him to get them the puck out of difficult spots.

I remember that being so tantalizing about Backlund when he was in junior when he was drafted. Driving the net hard, great individual efforts. His game is all about giving him the green light to go for it when it's there. If he has to babysit, well, he's not going to be effective.