The Backlund talk in not an indictment of his play to date. It is a prediction about the player he will be after this season. It is rare that forwards can remain effective beyond 32. At 33 and 34 should be Flames be paying him $5,350,000 is the question.
If his cap was less, if his term was less, if the Flames cap structure was different. It would be a no brainer, keep him.
That said, I think that next off season it would be wise to expose him to the expansion. I am skeptical that he would even get selected tbh.
that said, a trade this off season wouldn't make sense, and a trade next off season would not get much value because the cap is likely staying put, and no one wants to add an over paid aging forward.
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