[Rumour] Mikael Backlund requested trade last Summer

[ComixZone]

Per Ryan Leslie on the Big Show with Rusic & Rose.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1645814649898795010

Ryan Leslie says he had heard the rumour that Backlund had requested a trade, but then went on to say that Backs rescinded it.

What the !@#$ is going on around here

[Goriders]

I think is going to be a very interesting summer.

[Toonage]

No C for him then

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Toonage

No C for him then

Every time that thread to make him Captain got bumped he had a terrible next game. He for sure is on CP!

[CroFlames]

I can't listen to the clip. Did they presume a reason for the request?

My guess is that he's had enough of Sutter.

[kyuss275]

I can’t listen to it now , but he might have wanted trade when Johnny and tkachuk left. Probably thought rebuild was coming. Getting hubby and weager back might have changed his mind.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I can’t listen to it now , but he might have wanted trade when Johnny and tkachuk left. Probably thought rebuild was coming. Getting hubby and weager back might have changed his mind.

This is probably it.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Ryan Leslie says he had heard the rumour that Backlund had requested a trade, but then went on to say that Backs rescinded it.

What the !@#$ is going on around here

I wonder if Backlund felt like he was being bumped too far down the lineup with Lindholm and Kadri set to be on the first two lines? For a guy at his age with a contract coming up soon, he would want playing time for the points.

[Robbob]

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me one bit that a vet wouldn't want to be part of a rebuild and then things changed and so did he.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wonder if Backlund felt like he was being bumped too far down the lineup with Lindholm and Kadri set to be on the first two lines? For a guy at his age with a contract coming up soon, he would want playing time for the points.

Hard to speculate, but I imagine it was before Kadri was signed. Likely after he heard Johnny and Chucky weren't coming back.

Ultimately, I just add this to the smoke seeping out of the fire that is this organization. It also lines up with the loose rumours of Carolina and Calgary talking Backlund/Lindholm at the trade deadline.

[Ozy_Flame]

He had a career year in Calgary and played one of his best years in a Flames uniform despite the team performance.

I suppose he might feel like he has better Cup chances elsewhere (very understandable), but he's also likely to have a very healthy spot on the team next year, and a non insignificant chance he might also be captain.

He also has one more year left at his current contract, so no doubt 2023 is probably going to be a decision point for him again.

But he has options.

[SuperMatt18]

That was the rumor in the offseason that some random on twitter had. It was right around the same time as the Tkachuk news came out.

He probably thought it was going to be a re-build after Gaudreau and Tkachuk left, and then rescinded it when the team added Kadri and Huberdeau.

I could see him being moved this offseason coming off a strong season.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wonder if Backlund felt like he was being bumped too far down the lineup with Lindholm and Kadri set to be on the first two lines? For a guy at his age with a contract coming up soon, he would want playing time for the points.

Somehow Backlund ended up setting a career high in points. In 2021/22 Backlund actually had his worst production in about a decade. So it's understandable how he could be reluctant to be pushed further down the lineup to the #3 centre position.

[Ashasx]

He has missed the playoffs in 9 of his 14 seasons. Doesn't seem too odd to me if he wanted to win.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wonder if Backlund felt like he was being bumped too far down the lineup with Lindholm and Kadri set to be on the first two lines? For a guy at his age with a contract coming up soon, he would want playing time for the points.

Kadri was signed pretty late in the summer, so I'm not sure how likely him requesting a trade and rescinding it in that small time frame would be. It also wouldn't really give any reason why it was rescinded.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

That was the rumor in the offseason that some random on twitter had.

He probably thought it was going to be a re-build after Gaudreau and Tkachuk left, and then rescinded it when the team added Kadri and Huberdeau.

I could see him being moved this offseason coming off a strong season.

Yeah, that's the opposite of my speculation in the post above but it makes more sense.

[Paulie Walnuts]

He probably didn't want to be part of a rebuild.

Huberdeau also said when he signed that Brad told him he was going to go get players and I assuming he meant Kadri at the time.

Its reasonable Huberdeau was on the top team in the NHL and Backlund was on a division winning team I doubt they wanted to be part of a rebuild at this stage in their careers.

[Macho0978]

So much for the hometown discount on his next deal

I'm personally excited if this is true because he should be a player we sell high on now.

Trade Backlund, Toffoli and Tanev will set us back a year but could be what is needed to avoid a much longer rebuild

[Samonadreau]

Backs was the Flames best Center this season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Backs was the Flames best Center this season.

He sure helped Huberdeau. Night and day when they were joined together.