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Originally Posted by 868904
It's amazing how the only centremen on this team who regularly goes back into his own zone to support the defensemen and can actually skate it out into transition for offense is so underrated.
Lindholm is more of a support and pass it out type, especially since he gets to play with Gaudreau. Monahan, the play has usually turned up ice by the time he makes it back into the defensive zone. Backlund is the best skater of all the Flames centermen and it's not even close. He's the only centreman on this team capable of going end to end.
I'll give you haters that maybe his defensive game has worsened in years, but he's still way better than Monahan in that regard. Backlund's offense is still good and he didn't even have Tkachuk with him all year this season. And like all you say, he was tasked with all the toughest defensive assignments. If Backlund isn't a good defensive centre anymore, maybe he should be utilized more offensively because the guy is on pace for 50 points playing with Lucic and Nordstrom! Offensively he's on par with Monahan who didn't have to play the tough defensive assignments and got to play with top 6 wingers all season long. What does that say?
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Well said. He’s very difficult to play against and is probably the best center on the team at making a defensive stop and then taking the puck himself up ice and breaking through the trap. He has very underrated offensive skills and is very solid in the defensive end. For a guy who has to go up against the Crosby’s and the McDavid’s of the world, he more than holds his own.
If he just learned how to hit the net with more frequency, he would be everything this team needs from a shutdown center.