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Old 07-15-2017, 05:57 PM   #41
Lanny_McDonald
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Originally Posted by Textcritic View Post
I think Backlund is presently a core player: he is still in the prime of his career, and is currently one of the three best forwards on a team whose championship window is starting to open. Backlund is not easily replaceable, and I don't believe there is a player in the system that will be in a position to displace him for another four or five years.


I really think the goal needs to be keeping all three. Ideally both Tkachuk and Bennett become so good that Backlund does become expendable, but how confident are we that this will happen?

I tend to think that a three year deal is a non-starter for Backlund, but I also agree that the risk of anything over six years is unappealing. I think a five year deal for Backlund is ideal, and a six year contract that carries him to 34-years-old is still a manageable term for both sides.
I would equate Backlund to the same level of player that Staal was in Pittsburgh. When push came to shove Pittsburgh didn't hesitate to move Staal, because they knew where the salary structure was headed and Staal's demands were headed. I think they made the right decision. I would think that if pushed, Treliving would not hesitate to move Backlund. This is not a slight against Backlund. He's a very good player and is one of those pairs that the Flames obviously leverage to make the forward lines work. But you have to recognize where he fits in the big picture and in the long term. There has to be a number that the Flames are comfortable with, and any more you have to move him. I think that number is $5Mx5, max, and that might even be pushing it considering the trajectory of young Mr. Tkachuk.
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