Lets Talk About Mr. Backlund

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Frolik is great on that line what are you talking about?

Hudler is complete garbage ATM and Granlund shows very little offence. Frolik is playing 2-3 times better than either of those guys.

Hudler is playing through injuries, I don't think he should be in the top 6 for at least a few more weeks but the way Bennett-Backlund-Hudler looked in that Panthers game was something to behold. Granlund also has a hell of a one-timer and it's something that could really take the line to the next level, something he doesn't get a chance to use in current circumstances and Frolik doesn't have in his arsenal.

Granlund has been our 4th worst forward behind Bollig, Raymond & Colborne, since the first 4 or 5 games of his latest call up.

Granlund is a brutal center, not even a 4th liner in the NHL at that position. I've never argued otherwise. But I think he's going to show he's a top 6 winger the minute he gets a shot at his blatantly natural position. Even tonight we saw him flying down the left side on the PK, one of the most dangerous chances in the entire game. With a guy like Backlund springing him you'd see a completely different player. That's a ways away though, the first step is simply moving him to wing on the third line.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Granlund is a brutal center, not even a 4th liner in the NHL at that position. I've never argued otherwise. But I think he's going to show he's a top 6 winger the minute he gets a shot at his blatantly natural position. Even tonight we saw him flying down the left side on the PK, one of the most dangerous chances in the entire game. With a guy like Backlund springing him you'd see a completely different player. That's a ways away though, the first step is simply moving him to wing on the third line.

Blantantly natural position? He's a natural centre is he not? Do you know something the rest of us don't?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Granlund does look pretty over matched at center most of the time. If that's his natural position and he can't adapt to the wing, I don't see how he plays long term in the NHL tbh. Unless he improves immensely that is.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Backlund is what he is. He's the Flames version of Shawn Horcoff. Probably a very good 3rd line center, but miscast into a 2nd line center role.

Granlund is not being used properly. He should not be in the middle in the NHL, he should be on the wing. But this is Bob Hartley's team and he sees players a certain way and plays them that way, even if they are not as successful as they can be. Granlund's skills scream winger. That's where he should be. On Bennett's wing, finishing off his work with the puck.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Blantantly natural position? He's a natural centre is he not? Do you know something the rest of us don't?

He's only a "center" the way Hudler, Frolik, Tanguay, Byron were "centers". At this level he needs to be a winger given his skill set.

[CsInMyBlood]

Nice to see Backlund continuing to play very well in all three zones.

Bennett-Backlund-Frolik has really become a force and has been our best line for the last 4 games.

Mr. Backlund has put up 4 assists and a +4 since I made this thread. Backs (+5) only behind Brodie (+6) for the lead in plus/minus on the team. Pretty impressive considering the Flames are -15 in goal differential at this point in the season.

Yeah, Bennett is in beast mode but make no mistake, Backlund and Frolik have been a big part of his success. Sam has gone out of his way to credit them multiple times.

Anyways, awesome to see our second line emerge as a legit threat and playing such great hockey consistently all over the ice.

[Itse]

Backlund and Bennett are not your most obvious pairing, but they seem to have some chemistry.

[Lil Pedro]

Monahan
Bennett
Backlund
Stajan then Arnold

That would be some nice depth at centre moving forward in the years to come. Really think the organization needs to focus on making these guys better in the dot though; if we want to become a better team, we need to start winning more face-offs.

[GranteedEV]

Since November 5th Backlund has 10 goals and 19 assists over 45 games and an all-situations on-ice goal differential (unlike +/-, this includes PP and PK) of +14.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

Monahan
Bennett
Backlund
Stajan then Arnold

That would be some nice depth at centre moving forward in the years to come. Really think the organization needs to focus on making these guys better in the dot though; if we want to become a better team, we need to start winning more face-offs.

Jankowski, perhaps.

Arnold seems to have had an off year in the AHL. Grant and Shore have outplayed him. Elson, too.

[polak]

Backlund has been playing the best hockey of his career recently.

I hope he can finally break 20 goals.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Backlund is playing great and seems to have secured his role as an above average 3rd line centre going forward. Depth at centre is very important and with Monahan, Backlund, Bennett, Stajan heading into next season we're looking just fine and with nice continuity.

There was some talk of using him as a trade chip but I think that just opens up another hole that we'd have to fill so unless he's the guy someone is demanding for an even more important player I would think we'll sit tight with Backlund.

Be nice if they would try Granlund on the wing soon because I think his future at centre in this organization is pretty cloudy with all the guys both ahead of him and behind him. If they don't see him as a winger then Granlund might be a trade chip instead.

[DJones]

Granlund - Backlund - Frolik for a second line?

Wouldn't hurt to try it out.

[dissentowner]

The Backlund I see now compared to the Backlund I saw for the 1st half of the season is as different as night and day. He looks like the ideal 3rd line C for this team now and in the future. At the start of the year he was so bad I would have shipped him out for a 2nd in a heartbeat.

[420since1974]

Flames players/prospects who were drafted as centers:

Arnold
Backlund
Bennett
Bouma
Frolik
Granlund
Grant
Hamilton
Hudler
Jankowski
Jooris
Monahan
Shore
Stajan

Over 1/2 of them are now playing at wing.

[Erick Estrada]

Backlund is playing his best hockey in a couple of seasons now. Good to see and I hope he keeps it up into next season as the team needs to get off to a better start.

[SuperMatt18]

That is always the issue with Backlund though, it takes him some time at the start of the season to get in the swing of things.

Doesn't help that he always seems to have some type of injury or nagging injury to start the season either.

We really need him to be 100% and in top form at the start of next season for once.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I have enjoyed Backlund's play this year more than not, and he shows up almost every night with a strong work ethic and consistent game. That's a big step for a guy that has had troubles with consistency over the years.

However, I am still dying for him to get over the 50% mark in face-off winning percentage. He's at 47.8% this year which is exactly the same mark as his career percentage. I doubt he's ever going to improve in this regard, and if he's a 3rd line center taking on the defensive assignments, this number isn't anywhere good enough. 49% would be my low water mark for someone in that role.

Also, even though it's a smaller sample size, he was all of 45.2% on face-offs in the playoffs. Consider how many key situations come up in the playoffs that can determine not only the game, but the look of the series, and that number makes more of an impact on me. I think we can find someone who can play just as well as Backlund, yet has the ability to win key draws in important situations.

Backlund checks a lot of boxes for the role he's playing, but I just don't see this team winning in the playoffs without an upgrade at his position. Just my 2 cents.

[sa226]

Some semblance of faceoff prowess would vault Backlund into a vastly superior level of 3rd line center. He is so good positionally that it kind of makes up for it. But when you're losing faceoffs all of the time, you're always chasing. I don't think it's any coincidence that Backlund and Frolik have elevetaed each other's play.

[IgiTang]

I feel Backlund is quickly playing himself into our most valuable trade bait.

I love Backs and hope he stays. But I can see a lot of teams calling about him.

Hes playing with an edge and some offensive flair. Also, his 200 ft game is looking better than ever.