2017/2018 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Let's be realistic, but you're calling Backlund a 3rd line checking centre?

Sorry man lets just continue doing what were doing and never win a stanley cup. Bonino is a comparable to backlund (even tho backlund is better in my opinion) and look what pitt had done. We arent exactly a perrennial playoff team with the group we have

[codynw]

Originally Posted by RoughRiderRowdy

Bonino is a comparable to backlund

lol

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by RoughRiderRowdy

Bonino is a comparable to backlund

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Haha alright lets sign backlund to 6 million for 6 years. Forget i said anything

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by RoughRiderRowdy

Haha alright lets sign backlund to 6 million for 6 years. Forget i said anything

Comparing him to Bonino was atrocious.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by RoughRiderRowdy

Sorry man lets just continue doing what were doing and never win a stanley cup. Bonino is a comparable to backlund (even tho backlund is better in my opinion) and look what pitt had done. We arent exactly a perrennial playoff team with the group we have

Who are you getting for, let's say even $6M, that's a better centre than Backlund? Who are you drafting at number 15 or higher that will be as good a contributor in your "win now" scenario?

You say "be realistic". So go ahead, be realistic and tell us how you build a cup winner based on what the Flames have now and what they can realistically do.

[Poe969]

You don't win by over paying guys or even paying them what they're worth, you have to try and get the best possible value. I like Backlund but I don't see him as a second line center. I think numbering lines is silly anyway, some games Moanahan's line is the best then Janko's line is or Backlund's line is. They're all good lines but Backlund is the best defensively, it's like a utility line. It's taken Backlund a while to get to this point and paying him based on this season alone is not a good idea IMO. I really hope he signs here because I think he's a key part of the team but I think Janko will usurp him as more of an offensive player and become that "second line" guy.

IMO if Backlund wants more than 5 per season and won't budge, I shop him around. If he wants more than 5 years I shop him.

[Ashasx]

Backlund is absolutely a 2nd line centre and is among the better ones in the league.

Originally Posted by Poe969

It's taken Backlund a while to get to this point and paying him based on this season alone is not a good idea

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[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Backlund is absolutely a 2nd line centre and is among the better ones in the league.



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It sure seems to be working for us. Our last 10 seasons have been wonderful

[Ozy_Flame]

Just to get off the Backlund train for a bit, who could Calgary realistically target as a Versteeg replacement / PP Specialist? This is where immediate help is required. There has to be a body out there that won't break the bank, and can be a stop-gap until the end of the season.

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Poe969

You don't win by over paying guys or even paying them what they're worth, you have to try and get the best possible value. I like Backlund but I don't see him as a second line center. I think numbering lines is silly anyway, some games Moanahan's line is the best then Janko's line is or Backlund's line is. They're all good lines but Backlund is the best defensively, it's like a utility line. It's taken Backlund a while to get to this point and paying him based on this season alone is not a good idea IMO. I really hope he signs here because I think he's a key part of the team but I think Janko will usurp him as more of an offensive player and become that "second line" guy.

IMO if Backlund wants more than 5 per season and won't budge, I shop him around. If he wants more than 5 years I shop him.

This x2. So we pay backlund his 6 million per, nd by the time bennett and jankowski are better than him we are left with a 4th line center making 6 million per a la Stajan!!!!!!

[Ashasx]

TIL Backlund has played on the Flames for 10 NHL seasons and is the reason for the franchise's failure.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Backlund is absolutely a 2nd line centre and is among the better ones in the league.



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Totally agree. Excellent second line center.

Problem is that he's tending down the roster. Last year was very likely his career year. He'll be 30 when we sign him and he'll likely be the second coming of Matt Stajan in the second half of a five or six year deal.

So there's the crux. He's a very useful piece, will likely continue to be useful for the next two or three seasons but he's rightly going to want a longer term than that.

Don't really know what to do. A bird in the hand is mighty convincing. He's a bonafide NHL center, teams need those to win. But there's that nagging feeling that he'll only be a component of a mediocre squad at his age and decline of he's relied on and paid to be a second line center.

Tough one, I'd probably lean on signing him to what he wants. Tough to walk away from a player like him at this point of the team's arc.

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Just to get off the Backlund train for a bit, who could Calgary realistically target as a Versteeg replacement / PP Specialist? This is where immediate help is required. There has to be a body out there that won't break the bank, and can be a stop-gap until the end of the season.

Patrick sharp.

[Kipper_3434]

Remember last year when Backlund was practically a first line centre? That was his peak. I just hope that his new contract reflects current value.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Totally agree. Excellent second line center.

Problem is that he's tending down the roster. Last year was very likely his career year. He'll be 30 when we sign him and he'll likely be the second coming of Matt Stajan in the second half of a five or six year deal.

So there's the crux. He's a very useful piece, will likely continue to be useful for the next two or three seasons but he's rightly going to want a longer term than that.

Don't really know what to do. A bird in the hand is mighty convincing. He's a bonafide NHL center, teams need those to win. But there's that nagging feeling that he'll only be a component of a mediocre squad at his age and decline of he's relied on and paid to be a second line center.

Tough one, I'd probably lean on signing him to what he wants. Tough to walk away from a player like him at this point of the team's arc.

Most forwards have their career years offensively at around 23, but what inclination is there that he's trending down the roster? It certainly doesn't show anywhere.

Backlund isn't a player who relies on speed or strength to play effectively. He isn't a player who will suddenly forget how to play hockey at age 30.

The comparison RRR made to Stajan continues to prove his lack of knowledge considering Stajan at his peak was never half the player Backlund is right now.

If the Flames get rid of Backlund, they may as well tear the team down because nobody on this team can do what Backlund does. The Flames get immediately worse at a time when they need to be competing.

Are people upset we paid a free agent Frolik what we did, who continues to be worth his salary 3 years into his contract?

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by RoughRiderRowdy

I bet theres lots of 3rd line checking centers in the league given top 6 roles and pp time that put up 50+ points. Im just saying, with backlund as our 2nd line center we aint contending and signing him to a long term high dollar contract will not help us win a stanley cup.

Like who? You can't call him a 3rd liner and then say "I bet there is..." and not provide one single comparable (I'm going to ignore your comparison to Bonino as its just atrociously dumb).

Thornton
Spezza
Rakell
Kopitar
Horvat
Sedin
Barkov
MacKinnon
Bergeron
Krejci
Trochek
ROR
Eichel
Monahan
Kuznetsov

These are all C's that had between 50-60 points last season. With possibly the exception of Trochek (but Cali Flames Fan may correct me on this one), which ones are "3rd line checking centres"? Much less, the ones who drive possession as well as Backlund?

Backlund is a 2nd line C. Should we pay him (whatever) is open to discussion but to call him a 3rd line checking centre is just bat crap crazy.

[Tinordi]

Trochek's not a 3rd line center.

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Trochek's not a 3rd line center.

Thanks. I'm not that familiar with the Panthers.

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Backlund has had one season over 50 points. Last year. And people want to throw the brinks truck at him