[News] Dougie Hamilton sets a new career high of 43 points

[Sylvanfan]

I expect he'll be better next year as he'll be settled in, and he's dealt with the pressure of playing the first year of a big money deal.

When you consider that the Oilers basically gave up the same thing to get Griffin Reinhart that the Flames did for Hamilton....damn is that ever a steal.

As much as many fans on this site love the draft and oogle over prospects, I gladly trade expiring contracts like Hudler and Russell for a 2nd round pick every year and add those to a mid teens first to trade for a 21 year old like Hamiton every single season.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Wasn't there someone wanting Hamilton traded in the first week or two saying he was terrible and his contract was an anchor or something?

Kind of a good example of why not to freak out in the first two weeks of October.

more like an example of which posters to add to your ignore list.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Getting him for a 1st and two 2nds after most of his development was already done was and remains a complete steal IMO. Those type of defencemen are rarely available.

To think, we could have had Griffin Reinhart for almost the same trade. What was Treliving thinking???

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

They're the stats of a Curtis Glencross. Whatever you want to call that, it's not what I consider a core piece.

His stats are almost the same as Backlund's, yet Backlund is a core piece and Colborne is not? I don't understand how one guy is a hero and the other guy is a zero.

[Benched]

Backlund is foreign and we love his accent.

[puds]

If you don't understand the difference between what Backlund brings versus Joe Colborne and Curtis Glencross there isn't much of a point arguing with you. Backlund provides great puck possession and brings this consistently every shift whether he is on or off the score sheet. Colborne has dominant shifts but doesn't provide the same consistency. Colborne is bigger and stronger so at times can dominate a shift but lacks the iq of Backlund to always be in the right place.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by New Era

...His stats are almost the same as Backlund's, yet Backlund is a core piece and Colborne is not? I don't understand how one guy is a hero and the other guy is a zero.

Backlund is a better player, bar none. I like Colborne and hope that the Flames can find some room for him in a complimentary role, but as of today, Backlund is realistically among the most important players for this team moving forward.

And Dougie Hamilton is better than both of them.

[Poe969]

Hamilton Dammit! Hamilton!!! Well at least the Jankowski conversation hasn't started here yet.

Is it just me or does Douggie not have the best slap shot? It seems like his wrister is probably his best shot.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Hamilton Dammit! Hamilton!!! Well at least the Jankowski conversation hasn't started here yet.

Is it just me or does Douggie not have the best slap shot? It seems like his wrister is probably his best shot.

But dat wrister is a killer. Best on the team IMO.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

But dat wrister is a killer. Best on the team IMO.

I don't think anyone's wrister is better than Monahan's.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I don't think anyone's wrister is better than Monahan's.

I put his second in velocity to Hamilton's. Maybe more accurate.

Of course we are forgetting Engelland's.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Backlund is a better player, bar none. I like Colborne and hope that the Flames can find some room for him in a complimentary role, but as of today, Backlund is realistically among the most important players for this team moving forward.

And Dougie Hamilton is better than both of them.

The only core player in the bunch mentioned is Dougie Hamilton. Backlund and Colborne are both good players, but if a trade is there to improve the team with either of those names involved, you pull the trigger. If you get the Backlund we've seen the last two months, in most games all season, I might be more inclined to think harder about keeping him. But Backlund still struggles with consistency issues and was not good for the first two months of the season. I wouldn't be upset if he, and his salary, are moved if it can improve our RW or solidify our blue line. I'd be very happy going into next season with both on the roster and finding improvements by moving other players too.

[Erick Estrada]

If the price for a goaltender like Matt Murray is Backlund you jump on that deal without hesitation. Backlund is in his prime and this season could very well represent his career season. I think Backlund is a useful player but as long as Jankowski is in the picture Backlund's career as a Flame has always been on borrowed time.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

If the price for a goaltender like Matt Murray is Backlund you jump on that deal without hesitation. Backlund is in his prime and this season could very well represent his career season. I think Backlund is a useful player but as long as Jankowski is in the picture Backlund's career as a Flame has always been on borrowed time.

That's WAY too much. Show me a single goaltender traded in the past decade who has commanded this kind of return; to say nothing for one that has played a total of 12 NHL games.

While I agree that Backlund is not likely to improve, I also think he is very likely to maintain this level of play for the next four or five years. I think with Jankowski in the picture this actually sets the Flames in a very good position. He will not be anywhere near ready to fill Backlund's role for a few years, and by the time he is I expect Backlund to still have high enough of a trade value to return some pretty useful pieces.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

That's WAY too much. Show me a single goaltender traded in the past decade who has commanded this kind of return; to say nothing for one that has played a total of 12 NHL games.

While I agree that Backlund is not likely to improve, I also think he is very likely to maintain this level of play for the next four or five years. I think with Jankowski in the picture this actually sets the Flames in a very good position. He will not be anywhere near ready to fill Backlund's role for a few years, and by the time he is I expect Backlund to still have high enough of a trade value to return some pretty useful pieces.

We should probably wait until Jankowski plays more than 3 AHL games to think he's a Backlund replacement.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

We should probably wait until Jankowski plays more than 3 AHL games to think he's a Backlund replacement.

Which is precisely why I specified that he will be no where near a position to make that replacement for a few years.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Which is precisely why I specified that he will be no where near a position to make that replacement for a few years.

The situation is that right now Backlund has two years left on his $3.6 million/season deal which makes him attractive to teams coming off a career season. The issue for the Flames is that if this season is his peak and he drops back to a 30 point player that struggles with injuries then he's likely not going to be offered a contract at the end of his deal as the team will put their money towards keeping other players. If he continues to put up 40 point seasons the team will not be able to retain him when he becomes a free agent (sorry but that's the reality of the raises to the kids and the Giordano contract kicking in) so I simply don't see a scenario where he remains a Flame past his current contract.

That Murray kid certainly looks like the real deal and IMO this is the offseason to sell high on guys like Colborn and Backlund if the team feels that the goaltenders available in free agency are not up to what they deem they need next season to compete for the playoffs.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

That's WAY too much. Show me a single goaltender traded in the past decade who has commanded this kind of return; to say nothing for one that has played a total of 12 NHL games.

Schneider was traded for ninth overall right? That is a pretty hefty price.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

PIT ain't trading Fleury. He's their future in net and the future may be now. Think people need to move on from that idea. I think Murray is untouchable and that may make Fleury available.

[Bingo]

I think some are undervaluing Backlund here.

I see the core, and I get that Backlund isn't in it per say. But I do think Frolik and Backlund are the key complimentary players to the core going forward, and players you don't just part with on a maybe.

Three young forwards, three key defenseman, and then two more support forwards at this time ... total of 8 pieces.

I don't think many NHL teams get much beyond 10-12 in this count.

The mix is good between forwards and defenseman, just need a goalie to crest this group and the Flames are well on their way.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Schneider was traded for ninth overall right? That is a pretty hefty price.

Ryan Miller fetched a first round pick as a rental player from the Blues a few years back. You only need to look at the Habs to see that you can't underestimate the value of top goaltending and if you think a goaltender is going to be very, very good you have to make that deal.