QOTD: What to make of Mikael Backlund?

[Badgers Nose]

No, 'three game slump' option?

[GioforPM]

There are those who have always been anti-Backlund. We can discount those posts.

Myself, I've liked him from the start. That said, he looks a little slower this year. Definitely not offensive minded (my complaint about him last year was his liberal shot selection, this year he doesn't want the puck).

Defensively I haven't noticed him much, but while he has always had sound position, he has never had the muscle to win a lot of puck contests.

It is indeed early and he will probably improve, like Gio, like Ferland, like Hamilton. Once that happens, we are looking at Monahan, Bennett, Backlund and Stajan down the middle - that's pretty good.

I think it's a cop-out to blame line mates, though. I thought so when people said the same about Sven. Other guys like Stajan seem to make do with who they play with and make them better.

[GioforPM]

Double post

[Strange Brew]

I hope and think it is just a slow start. If he is bothered by an injury that is causing him to play this poorly, then rest him and put in Granlund.

I am mildly concerned for no reason other than he just signed a juicy new contract. Flames don't need another boat anchor deal and in my mind, his continued improvement was priced into that deal.

I am not in the anti Backlund camp. I think he can be a third line center on an elite team.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by codynw

Your player analysis can be so random. It looks to me, like Hartley was double shifting the best offensive players to try to get a goal. Which is what most coaches would do down by one late in the third.

Thks for pointing this out. If I get your point correctly all the hierarchy and contracts and cap hits gets thrown out at the end of a 1-goal game. The coach will obviously go with his best players. You know I total agree with your player analysis!!


I just find that the best offensive players turned out to quite a bit different than the CP consensus.

I missed the part where Engelland and Kulak became better offensive players than Hamilton and basically on par with Gio.

Stajan who started out as the 4th line centre suddenly becomes a better offensive option than Backlund .

Jones who was supposed to be traded for a 3rd or 4th round pick at the trade deadline is more clutch than Frolik?

Raymond who gets waived is better than Bennett?

Russell and Wideman , who were going to be flipping coins as to who became #5 have retained their status as the top pairing.


The real shocker is that captain Gio, who was supposed to be a top 3 d-man in the league... got sat for the last 33 seconds.

I have seen numerous times when various coaches stretched the timeout to get breathing time for their Norris trophy d-man.

Can't imagine LA not having Doughty on the ice at the end of a 1-goal game.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Backlund is phenominal at doing the little things. Often times this type of play goes unnoticed but he is an extremely effective player and will chip in offensively from time to time. He is an ideal 3rd center and he will be that guy for us. Give him time. Bouma has been useless this season and a complete anchor on that line. Give Backlund someone to pass the puck to and he will get in a groove.

[Nammer403]

Slow start, hope he he will pick it up once he gets a few goals

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I hope and think it is just a slow start. If he is bothered by an injury that is causing him to play this poorly, then rest him and put in Granlund.

I am mildly concerned for no reason other than he just signed a juicy new contract. Flames don't need another boat anchor deal and in my mind, his continued improvement was priced into that deal.

I am not in the anti Backlund camp. I think he can be a third line center on an elite team.

I would think that there are very few fans in an anti-Backlund camp as if you are against any Flames players you are against the Flames as ideally every player on the roster would excel. I would love for him to break out but until that happens I'm simply going to call him as I see him. Not sure if it's been brought up but both Backlund and Giordano got raises over the summer and both have struggled as possibly they are simply trying to do too much to live up to their contracts and need to simplify their game.

[genetic_phreek]

Did everyone drink koolaid from Where RU Chris O'Sullivan?

3 games in, Backlund playing with 4th line players so he's getting 4th line minutes.

Can't make chicken salad out of chicken poop people.

[Badgers Nose]

Backlund is so bad, so in the dog house that Bob is punishing him by putting him at centre on the 2nd line between grinders Bennet and Frolik.

Do I really need green text?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Thks for pointing this out. If I get your point correctly all the hierarchy and contracts and cap hits gets thrown out at the end of a 1-goal game. The coach will obviously go with his best players. You know I total agree with your player analysis!!


I just find that the best offensive players turned out to quite a bit different than the CP consensus.

I missed the part where Engelland and Kulak became better offensive players than Hamilton and basically on par with Gio.

Stajan who started out as the 4th line centre suddenly becomes a better offensive option than Backlund .

Jones who was supposed to be traded for a 3rd or 4th round pick at the trade deadline is more clutch than Frolik?

Raymond who gets waived is better than Bennett?

Russell and Wideman , who were going to be flipping coins as to who became #5 have retained their status as the top pairing.


The real shocker is that captain Gio, who was supposed to be a top 3 d-man in the league... got sat for the last 33 seconds.

I have seen numerous times when various coaches stretched the timeout to get breathing time for their Norris trophy d-man.

Can't imagine LA not having Doughty on the ice at the end of a 1-goal game.

Hartley doesn't decide who to throw out down the stretch of a game based on who's the better player over the year or career. He bases it on the in-game performance. Stajan, Jones, Raymond - all had good games. Jones and Raymond had scored. Russell and Wideman were more offensive threats all game than Gio and Hamilton.

If Doughty hadn't played well all game and some other defenceman stood out - yeah, I go with the flow.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Backlund is a guy that needs to work his ass off to be effective. He, along with a coupe others in the lineup, are not doing that. There are too many good young guys on the farm that can replace Backlund. He needs to get his stuff together in short order or he may find himself trade bait to improve the team, like a quality netminder.

[dammage79]

It's still too early to make any rash Judgements but Backlund hasn't been sharp at all.

Then again, it is a true rarity to actually have Backlund in the line up so early in the season too. If he, like the rest of the team haven't shown signs of shaking off the rust by game 12-ish. Then I might get concerned.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

Did everyone drink koolaid from Where RU Chris O'Sullivan?

3 games in, Backlund playing with 4th line players so he's getting 4th line minutes.

Can't make chicken salad out of chicken poop people.

There's definitely something wrong with Backlund right now. Whether he's hurt, or it's just a slow start, I don't know. But he's definitely not himself. Hartley isn't just playing him on the 4th line for no reason.

[CliffFletcher]

Not sure why there's such consternation over a below-average NHLer playing below average.

[442scotty]

I think he is still suffering abdominal muscle issues.. He was held out from some preseason games for "precautionary reasons" if you recall... Trying to play through it and understandably playing a little guarded

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Not sure why there's such consternation over a below-average NHLer playing below average.

He plays for the Flames should be a big indicator why there's "consternation".

And they also only have 1 win out of three. Not a dream start.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I would think that there are very few fans in an anti-Backlund camp as if you are against any Flames players you are against the Flames as ideally every player on the roster would excel. I would love for him to break out but until that happens I'm simply going to call him as I see him. Not sure if it's been brought up but both Backlund and Giordano got raises over the summer and both have struggled as possibly they are simply trying to do too much to live up to their contracts and need to simplify their game.

That's a worthwhile point in general for the team. Last year we had a cap floor team that exceeded expectations. Now we are very close to the cap ceiling and a lot of guys need to play up to their contracts for the team to reach expectations. It's a different kind of pressure. It also means if they don't perform, they are harder to move.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

I'll judge once he gets better guys on his line

If hes not the guy to make others better, then the Flames don't need him.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I wouldn't ask a question about a player with zero points ... so I hear that. But Backlund getting 8 minutes a game is worth noting and yeah it creates a question.



He was Hartley's shut down guy and 2nd line center last year, now he's getting less ice than a 19 year old and Matt Stajan.



So yeah I see that as a potential concern and worth asking.

Rob Kerr saying coach had a chat with backlund in the office. Both are frustrated. 3 games is apparently enough to push a red button.