I think Backlund is deserving and he should have been made captain last year. But a part of me is concerned that this is just more of the same for the Flames. Conroy was a safe pick for GM. I do think he has the personality and track record to bring a solid hockey culture to the management. But again that rests on the Owners edict for what happens with this team. Does Conroy have the ability to push back against the Owners and do what it takes to build a contender? We will see! Then they went with Huska instead of Mitch Love. I owe it to Huska to give him a chance, but this feels like another safe pick to me. Mitch Love really got the best out of his players with the Wranglers. And he really seemed to know how to position them accordingly to capitalize on their skill sets.
When I heard Weegars name being thrown around for the Captaincy I sort of thought it might breath some new life into this team. Go with an outsider with a fresh perspective. I would have been okay with Huberdeau too for the same reasons, and from everything I've heard he's been great at making the young players feel like they belong. Backlund is a good choice, but he's also the safe choice. And playing it safe has been the Flames calling card for years. Hopefully Backlund signing is the first domino to fall, with Lindholm and ideally Hanafin signing next. There's a lot riding on the success of this squad this year, and I'm not entirely convinced that playing it safe was the right move! Though I'd love to be proven wrong.
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