[GDT] Flames vs. Islanders, 7 pm, SN1

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

No.

Backlund can earn his spot in the top 2 lines.

I'd say he has.

But maybe not right away, I wonder if he can handle the minutes after being gone for so long

[Fan in Exile]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

I wasn't too sure where to put this fun little stat, so figured I'd throw it in this thread.

The Flames are the only team in the West (And Washington is the only other team in the NHL) who have five players with 10 or more goals.

Hudler - 13
Gaudreau - 12
Monahan - 11
Giordano - 10
Wideman - 10

Not to mention Jooris (9) and Glencross (8) knocking on the door.

Most teams currently have just 2 or 3 players at double digits, kind of neat to see us at or near the top of this list.

But how do we replace Cammaleri's goals?! Look what that production has done for the Devils.

[Max Cow Disease]

Starting to get pretty excited for Backs' return. At first it was almost like we didn't miss him because the team has done pretty well outside of "the skid", but he's just such a solid player to inject back in to the line up. I hope he can get up to speed relatively quickly.

I also hope he can at least play out the remainder of the season without a flukey injury, and that he's learned his lesson about training too hard in the offseason.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Notice our defenseman have cooled down a bit in the scoring, glad our forwards made that not a problem.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Max Cow Disease

Starting to get pretty excited for Backs' return. At first it was almost like we didn't miss him because the team has done pretty well outside of "the skid", but he's just such a solid player to inject back in to the line up. I hope he can get up to speed relatively quickly.

I also hope he can at least play out the remainder of the season without a flukey injury, and that he's learned his lesson about training too hard in the offseason.

Agreed as good as all our other players have been up the middle, if Backlund could return to last years form we'd have at least 2 legit 2nd line centres at the moment. As it sits right now, I feel we have one in Monahan with Grandlund, Jooris and Colborne providing legit 3rd line center performances with spurts of top 2 performances. Backlund would be more of a sure thing I think right now if he was playing to form.

And that's not a shot at the other guys I mentioned, they are all playing well and developing nicely with potential to be top 2 guys in some of there cases, just that Backlund is further along right now in his development.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Max Cow Disease

Starting to get pretty excited for Backs' return. At first it was almost like we didn't miss him because the team has done pretty well outside of "the skid", but he's just such a solid player to inject back in to the line up. I hope he can get up to speed relatively quickly.

I also hope he can at least play out the remainder of the season without a flukey injury, and that he's learned his lesson about training too hard in the offseason.

A lot of the times it's more about training the wrong way than training too hard. With proper body mechanics it's hard to injure yourself. Glad he's back though, Backlund brings a drive to the net attitude that's been sorely missed.

[bubbsy]

funny to think isles/oilers headed into the offseason as teams deep into the rebuild wanting to find a way to take that step in their progression to becoming competitive again. Both also had some similar gaps on defense, goaltending, depth at center/forward.

oilers tried to fix goaltending by getting 2 unproven career backups, and shore up their d with guys like Nikitin, Fayne, who had little experience as go to guys on D, and then some meh moves on forward (purcell pouliout, nothing that has actually helped) .

Islanders tried to fix goaltending by going out and getting a guy who has shown the ability to be a starting goalie in Halak, fixed the d by making moves to get a proven guy in boychuck and up and comer leddie, and then got Grabovski/Kulemin on forward.

Mactavish got out GM'd by Snow.... let that sink in for a minute, though credit to snow, he made some moves to redeem himself for half a decade of general stupidity.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

What a preposterous judgement. So he goes from a solid #1 C before injury to a demotion of #3 C after? Backlund has done more than enough to merit a top six role - and he's proven very capable of it. It's not like the injury suddenly made him become a worse player on the ice.

While I don't necessarily agree with putting him right back in #1, as I think Monahan's earned it for now, I think it's utterly ridiculous to shunt him to bottom 6 duties unless he's outplayed by Jooris.

Backlund will still need to prove to Hartley that he can handle top 6 time. Base on how Hartley has handled Raymond and others coming back from injury he's not just going to throw them into the fire. Backlund will most likely start out as the #3 guy and if he plays well he'll get his chance to play with Gaudreau and Hudler.

[shogged]

backlund coming back improves our penalty kill big time. looking forward to it

[browna]

Bunch of days rest after tonight, with the next game still at home on Wed. Hopefully Hartley dangles a CBA-approved incentive of 3 days totally off if they win tonight to get everything out of them.

Isles seem like a run and gun team that finally has a backend to keep the puck out of their net, but are overall a bit of a mystery as far as knowing a lot about them, which is good or bad.

[dammage79]

I'm looking forward to this game tonight. Flames are only 6 points back of them in the standings and it would be nice to inch closer to them too in the overall standings.

I'm looking forward to having Backlund back, the Flames' very own Corsi king will be a welcome addition. Defensively he should be good to go, he'll need time to regain that possession game he's developed offensively, so let's be patient with him and not throw him under the bus his first game back. OK?

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Fire

Backlund will still need to prove to Hartley that he can handle top 6 time. Base on how Hartley has handled Raymond and others coming back from injury he's not just going to throw them into the fire. Backlund will most likely start out as the #3 guy and if he plays well he'll get his chance to play with Gaudreau and Hudler.

Raymond started out on the powerplay getting big minutes when he came back. It was only after 10 games without scoring that he found his way to the pressbox. Backlund was the presumed #1C heading into this season. No way he deserves to automatically bump Monahan, based on how well Monahan has played. But he's going to be the #2C when he's given the green light health wise. If it doesn't work out, then I expect the move.

Raymond's ice-time since his return:

Game 1 - Buffalo, Dec 11: 11:13 TOI, with 1:43 of that PPTOI
Game 2 - Pittsburgh, Dec 12: 15:17 TOI, 4:01 PP
Game 3 - Chicago, Dec 14: 9:31 TOI, 1:06 PP
Game 4 - NY Rangers, Dec 16: 13:08 TOI, 2:32 PP
Game 5 - Dallas, Dec 19: 15:09 TOI, 2:53 PP

Raymond's season average is 15:26. He was right on that 2 of the games, a little below for 2, and substantially below for 1. Backlund was getting 17:50 prior to his surgery, which still puts him #2 among our centers for TOI/G. He might not get 18 minutes game 1, but I expect he'll be in the top 6 when he returns, just as he was prior to being placed on the IR.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Raymond started out on the powerplay getting big minutes when he came back. It was only after 10 games without scoring that he found his way to the pressbox. Backlund was the presumed #1C heading into this season. No way he deserves to automatically bump Monahan, based on how well Monahan has played. But he's going to be the #2C when he's given the green light health wise. If it doesn't work out, then I expect the move.

We'll probably find out on Wednesday if it's the #2 or #3 center spot for Backlund. Ideally I do like Backlund over Jooris as the #2 guy, but if Jooris plays well tonight, I don't see him getting bumped off the 2nd line.

[debil]

Don't understand the obsession with backlund. After 5 seasons with the flames his maximum is 0.5ppg. Given Granlund in his first season is providing the same numbers and good defensive game he is odd man out here or he can fight for that 4th line center with stajan.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by debil

Don't understand the obsession with backlund. After 5 season with the flames his maximum is 0.5ppg. Given Granlund in his first season is providing the same numbers and good defensive game he is odd man out herer he can fight for that 4th line center with stajan.

Granlund isn't in the same level of defense as Backlund. Also, Backlund (like Granlund) looks like he could add some offense. Don't forget Backlund never really got much pp time before

[Badgers Nose]

This is a real challenge, looking forward to it.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

But how do we replace Cammaleri's goals?! Look what that production has done for the Devils.

The majority of CP prognosticators said that would be the main reason Flames would finish worse than last year. LOL

Cammi was a legend in his own mind. This team is way better w/o guys like that.

[The Hendog]

Thought we might see Ramo tonight
Not that Hiller has been bad but that competition we saw earlier in the year doesn't seem the same right now and I want it back

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by The Hendog

Thought we might see Ramo tonight
Not that Hiller has been bad but that competition we saw earlier in the year doesn't seem the same right now and I want it back

There's 3 games in 4 nights next week, I'm sure Ramo will get at least one, barring a game stealing stretch by Hiller.

[The Hendog]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

There's 3 games in 4 nights next week, I'm sure Ramo will get at least one.

I was just looking at that and thinking the same thing! Good good

Thanks!