2015/2016 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

Anybody that wants to dump Backs should give this article a read first.

Backlund is not being "dumped" in any of these hypothetical situations. He is considered an expendable asset that could be packaged with one of our Dmen to fill an area of need. Looking at the centre position moving forward he appears to be expendable. If he looked like a guy that could score 25 goals and 50pts then we should keep him. After 5+ years it doesn't look like he is going to be that guy. With Stajan signed to an unmovable contract, it makes some sense to trade Backlund and give Granlund an extended look with the big club

[adc]

How long does Backlund have to continue not scoring before we drop the two-way forward term for him?

Or has two-way forward been reduced so much that 30 point guys count now?

Maybe my view of a two way forward is too high but seems like guys like Lehtonen, Bergeron, Kesler (puke) etc. are capable of 50-60 point seasons to me that is a two way forward. Backlund is at best a defensive forward at this point until he shows he can score.

[Harry Lime]

If Jones and/or Hudler and Russell are traded or not signed as UFAs, you are taking a lot of experience out of the room at the end of the year. Trading Stajan makes guys like Gaudreu the 'old men' on the forward lines next year. Stajan is a very good bottom six centre, and a leader. This team doesn't trade Stajan. It's really not worth looking into.

Backlund does have trade value, and I've said before that Stajan mirrors his skillset pretty closely. Nothing has moved me too far from that opinion.

[Poe969]

Backlund has value to the Flames and likely to other teams too.
Stajan has value to the Flames.
Both players play the same sort of game and neither are real game breakers.
Stajan has an unmovable contract that no team would really want
Backlund is on an ok contract.
We could keep Backlund and buy out Stajan but that would cost money and not really save much so a buy out doesn't really make sense for Stajan. The Flames have to keep him.
Backlund has value and we could get an asset for him or if he was packaged with a guy like Russell we could get an even better return.

So to break it down; we're stuck with Stajan, Stajan isn't much different than Backlund. Backlund isn't a top 6 player and we've got cheaper bottom 6 options with more potential. The team doesn't have to get rid of Backlund but losing him wouldn't really hurt. If Backlund is moved, we'd be bringing up a younger player from the farm which is what rebuilding teams do and potentially getting a needed asset in the return for Backlund.

[Erick Estrada]

I can't be the only person that believes Stajan would have more than one point this season if he was centering Bennet and Frolik? There's no excuses for Backlund anymore as he's not scoring and hasn't for a few seasons. If he's going to be a defensive checking center that's fine but get him off the 2nd line for crying out loud as he's killing Frolik and Bennett. It's almost as bad as when Brent had Comeau on the Flames 2nd line as when you need secondary scoring you simply can't put guys in your top 6 when offense dies on his stick. This team badly needs a 2nd line center with some offensive skill and Bennett isn't ready for that role and Backlund never will be.

[Badgers Nose]

Move em all and let god sort them out.

[Phil Russell]

Backlund is clearly a bottom six player. We hoped he wasn't, but he is. If there is no room for him as a bottom six, he should be moved. I would love to see Granlund given the opportunity to center the second line. It will be Bennett's position eventually, but Granlund deserves a shot IMO.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I can't be the only person that believes Stajan would have more than one point this season if he was centering Bennet and Frolik? There's no excuses for Backlund anymore as he's not scoring and hasn't for a few seasons. If he's going to be a defensive checking center that's fine but get him off the 2nd line for crying out loud as he's killing Frolik and Bennett. It's almost as bad as when Brent had Comeau on the Flames 2nd line as when you need secondary scoring you simply can't put guys in your top 6 when offense dies on his stick. This team badly needs a 2nd line center with some offensive skill and Bennett isn't ready for that role and Backlund never will be.

I agree with this. Stajan has arguably payed as well or better than Backlund this year (at both ends of the ice), and has better historical offensive numbers. Plus he's a significantly better faceoff man, and has a better +/- (which I think is a little more relevant between players on the same team). He's been placed on the 4th line the last two years and has accepted that role. But look at how the 4th line played without him last year, compared to with him. So, yeah he's older, and that's about it for me.

I like Backlund fine, but he's a bit miscast at this point. Colborne might be a better 2nd line centre at this point. He's got the same points in less than half the games, and looked fairly good in his return. Assuming your second line is a scoring/sheltered line and the first and third line takes on the top defensive minutes, I'd like a Colborne/Bennett combo there. Add Frolik for more two way play. Add Ferland or Jones for more offensive corner work.

[sa226]

Complete and utter speculation by me:

I would speculate that the abdominal injury Backlund suffered last year is something that never fully heals (I think it was said last year, hence the mesh) and he is always going to be playing with some level of discomfort. Perhaps it is affecting him physically and mentally.

He just seems invisible right now. The past couple of seasons, you could never fault him on the effort. Granted he isn't overly gifted offensively, but his puck pursuit was as good as anybody on the team and his skating was becoming his best asset. This year he just seems to be going through the motions. He seems kind of lost, which is not normal for a healthy Backlund.

Just a guess.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by sa226

Complete and utter speculation by me:

I would speculate that the abdominal injury Backlund suffered last year is something that never fully heals (I think it was said last year, hence the mesh) and he is always going to be playing with some level of discomfort. Perhaps it is affecting him physically and mentally.

He just seems invisible right now. The past couple of seasons, you could never fault him on the effort. Granted he isn't overly gifted offensively, but his puck pursuit was as good as anybody on the team and his skating was becoming his best asset. This year he just seems to be going through the motions. He seems kind of lost, which is not normal for a healthy Backlund.

Just a guess.

perhaps... but he looked just fine in the first dozen or so games after he returned to the lineup last year.

[hockey.modern]

I wonder what top 6 forward the Senators would be willing to give up.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Colborne might be a better 2nd line centre at this point.

Colborne stinks.

There is almost no objective measure by which he is better. Boxscore Stats? Backlund is better, Possession stats? Backlund is better. Hell, I'd argue that by purely subjective measures (eyeballs) Backlund is better in terms of zone/lane coverage, and puck pursuit.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Colborne stinks.

There is almost no objective measure by which he is better. Boxscore Stats? Backlund is better, Possession stats? Backlund is better. Hell, I'd argue that by purely subjective measures (eyeballs) Backlund is better in terms of zone/lane coverage, and puck pursuit.

Colborne has a way better flying elbow

[handgroen]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Colborne stinks.

dumb. comment. is. dumb.

[Poe969]

Backlund has 0 offensive game. He shouldn't be in the top 6 where Colborne has at least shown hustle, he uses his size and he has some offensive talent.

[codynw]

Colborne is good at winning board battles, but he doesn't really do anything else. I guess he's good in the shootout too, but with 3 on 3 overtime that's not important anymore.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by hockey.modern

I wonder what top 6 forward the Senators would be willing to give up.

From the Wideman/Russell poll thread :

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

Not much on the roster that's intriguing and we'd probably have to take money back. Puempel has always been an intriguing prospect, interesting that he's called up for the game vs us. Get a first hand viewing. Big g scorer in Jr. But not made the jump yet. Decent size and good shot.

It could very well be that Puempel is being showcased, as he is slated to play on the second line. He is around a Klimchuk level of prospect, which would put him near the top of our LW call-up possibilities.

The chatter on that thread had the Sens target as Wideman. Although they have the cap space for such a move, it's likely some balancing would have to be done, or else Wideman is a smokescreen for Russell. Either way, that's the most interesting speculation, so far.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Colborne stinks.

There is almost no objective measure by which he is better. Boxscore Stats? Backlund is better, Possession stats? Backlund is better. Hell, I'd argue that by purely subjective measures (eyeballs) Backlund is better in terms of zone/lane coverage, and puck pursuit.

Colborne is better at faceoffs

Also when Colborne gets mad he's dominant. He's kind of like an Ent.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by handgroen

dumb. comment. is. dumb.

it's kind of funny, as a guy who hasn't been able to watch most of the games so far, coming to CP, it seems just about every player has been criticized and comments about their uselessness or redundancy have been raised.

way i interpret that is that, especially given the roster attrition (or lack thereof), the entire team seems to be off. it's not an individual problem.

the team is bottom 5 in shots generated in the league, and bottom 3rd in shots given up. top to bottom things aren't going very well. Hard to assess individuals, particularly guys who aren't deemed vets/leaders, when the entire team is struggling.

[sa226]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

perhaps... but he looked just fine in the first dozen or so games after he returned to the lineup last year.

I would attribute that to the stretch drive and playoffs affect.

I think during the day to day grind of an 82 game schedule a nagging injury has a mental and physical affect on a player.