Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
Get rid of him. I would much rather keep Backlund as our 2nd line C, he competes every game, he can skate, and he is a solid two way player...
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Backlund was terrific in the playoffs this year, but I think it is fair to point out that this has historically not been the case. He has 14 points in 30 playoff games in his career, but prior to this year he had only eight in four series spread over three post-seasons.
I am not ready to give up completely on Monahan, but I sure do believe that he needs a change of scenery—whether that be in the form of a trade, or in a shakeup to his own line. But I think that similar to a player like Backlund, there is lots of room for a 25-year-old high-end centre to become an impact playoff performer.