Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy Snipe
Backlund was a massive hole in the game yesterday. Heis far and beyond the Flames best center iceman this year. Its not even close. He skates well, and does all the little things right. He's not a top offensive producer, but he is so steady out there, and always is matched against top end talent on opposing teams. Calgary missed him and it showed.
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Massive hole? Missed him and It showed? McDavid, who he is usually pegged to cover, had 2 sog which has to be one of the lowest totals he has had in a game vs us ever.
So, I think Ryan did pretty well there on his assignment. The goal and one shot was off a faceoff draw, where Lindholm has better faceoff numbers to Backlund for faceoff, of you're going to make the argument Backlund would've been C on that PK.
Backlund is smart, but soft, avoiding contact at every opportunity even moreso this year than other years, just watch him on a shift with and without the puck, assumedly out of self preservation.
Which means plays die for his linemates because he dumps it in or off if he sees contact ahead, and, he doesn't stay or enter tough zones to prolong pressure or take a hit to create a chance. Sure it works if you're a skilled center on then top line who is creating and dishing off high quality scoring chances to line mates But he's not, he dumping it in, getting it off his stick in the neutral zone of offensive zone as soon as possible if he sees someone coming at him, and staying out if the corners on the cycle as a 3rd line center, which doesn't work for that line role.
His lack of desire to be an offensive c to take the hits as a c on a second scoring line are a big reason why Lindholm has moved to 2c this year.
The lack of physicalality makes it work defensively because of the lack of getting to dirty zones he is in safe positional situations when the puck goes the other way after his two linemates predictably lose the luck battle vs 3 opponents. And he is a smart hockey player, just a soft one. But not sure that translates into Sutter's system. And 3 more years after this at $5.3M is expensive in that role.