[Rumour] Backlund leaning towards not re-signing with Flames

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Team was bad
Sutter came and fixed it
Team was bad again

I doubt Sutter is the only problem

You missed the step where Sutter alienated everyone so all the good players (except Toffoli) left or wanted to leave. Heck even the GM left.

[mile]

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/ther...nt/c-345313064

Kadri interview from the shooting event:

"When I look at a guy like (Head Coach Ryan) Huska, first and foremost, he cares about winning. He's a really competitive guy. In talking to him several times over the last few months, I have a really good idea of how he wants us to play and what he expects out of us. He's a guy that communicates well, too, and I think that's going to be great for our team.

"It's what we need."

"It's back to that excitement we talked about," Kadri said. "That's the new-school hockey. That's the new-school NHL. I think the offence is very modernized and you have to be able to use your creativity to have success. I can tell Husk is thinking outside the box already.

"I love the city. I love it," Kadri said, unequivocally. "It's got such great people, great fans. They're passionate and that's what you want as a player. In a Canadian market - and with the new arena coming - I don't think there's a better option.

"I'm completely committed to this organization, this franchise, and trying to improve us on the ice, so we can get to where we want to go.

"And honestly?

"I think this off-season has been a blessing in disguise to get our heads and our bodies right, so come back full force in the fall."

[dino7c]

Kadri had a bad end to the season with a team in turmoil

boggles my mind how everyone hates him now...guy was a major contributor to a cup winner a year ago and scored over 100 point pace

[Toonage]

I'm positive his hand was bugging him after the ASB too

[blankall]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Kadri had a bad end to the season with a team in turmoil

boggles my mind how everyone hates him now...guy was a major contributor to a cup winner a year ago and scored over 100 point pace

Kadri seemed to put less than 100% effort in some big games down the stretch, which resulted in him being a whipping boy for the fans. As for his success the year before, having a massive year, signing a huge contract with the Flames, and then putting in sub-par effort is not going to make him popular.

Way to early to write him off though. Last year was a mess, and the team system, as a whole, was clearly falling apart. Everyone looked fatigued, both mentally and physically. Kadri, especially, is a guy who needs to have a bit of room to play his own game to succeed. The fact that Kadri went out of his way to mention "new" hockey multiple times in that interview, suggests that he had a particularly rough time under Sutter, which is understandable, as Sutter definitely isn't into new things.

I'm excited to see what he can bring next year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Great to hear him talk about the new school NHL the modern offence and how Huska has been talking about.

We needed our organization to step into the modern NHL.

Should be an exciting season.

[Mr.Coffee]

That is a fantastic quote from Kadri. My only complaints of him really boil down to essentially giving up on the team when you’re a professional and being paid millions but what’s done is done and hopefully next season he returns to first half Kadri which was a truly remarkable player.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Kadri had a bad end to the season with a team in turmoil

boggles my mind how everyone hates him now...guy was a major contributor to a cup winner a year ago and scored over 100 point pace

It boggles your mind?

To acquire him the Flames gave up a first round pick as well as a player that had given their heart, soul and body to the team over their career.

Kadri was then signed to an enormous contract based to a large degree on his play over a stretch of about 70 games. A 100 point pace, as you describe it, which he had not previously shown over a very long career.

He then proceeded to play a selfish brand of hockey upon his first game with the Flames and by the end of the season, he had quit on his teammates.

I'm hoping, and to some degree, expecting a rebound. But it's going to take more than a nice sound bite for me to buy into him.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

It boggles your mind?

To acquire him the Flames gave up a first round pick as well as a player that had given their heart, soul and body to the team over their career.

Kadri was then signed to an enormous contract based to a large degree on his play over a stretch of about 70 games. A 100 point pace, as you describe it, which he had not previously shown over a very long career.

He then proceeded to play a selfish brand of hockey upon his first game with the Flames and by the end of the season, he had quit on his teammates.

I'm hoping, and to some degree, expecting a rebound. But it's going to take more than a nice sound bite for me to buy into him.

Kadri was the Flames best player for the first half of the season

also, Monahan played through injury for sure but the Flames had more than their fair share of "nights off" with Monahan in the lineup too

Also its not Kadri's fault the Flames traded a first for cap space

7M is not a 100 point player salary either, its really not all that enormous


We don't know what's going on with players, he was likely injured and didn't have a full summer of training. He sure as #### had heart in the playoffs for the Avs, I don't think you just lose that.

All our fan favourites with heart now on other teams don't have many rings last I checked

Gaudreau? Nope
Tkachuk? Nope
Gio? Nope

[jg13]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Kadri was the Flames best player for the first half of the season

also, Monahan played through injury for sure but the Flames had more than their fair share of "nights off" with Monahan in the lineup too

Also its not Kadri's fault the Flames traded a first for cap space

7M is not a 100 point player salary either, its really not all that enormous


We don't know what's going on with players, he was likely injured and didn't have a full summer of training. He sure as #### had heart in the playoffs for the Avs, I don't think you just lose that.

All our fan favourites with heart now on other teams don't have many rings last I checked

Gaudreau? Nope
Tkachuk? Nope
Gio? Nope

I don't believe the skill or the talent has left Kadri, but as a fan that watches 90%~ of the games I want to see the GAF meter at 100% at all times from the players that are put on the ice. Why would I, a fan paying to watch this team in person be okay with watching someone who literally quit on the team?

There are numerous times he refused to use his line mates even when a shot of energy like Pelletier was introduced to his line.

The quote is nice and I full on hope we see Colorado Kadri next season but you can't blame fans for being sceptical after what we saw from Kadri in the first year as a Calgary Flame.

[dino7c]

Fans can feel whatever they like

Tkachuk mailed in the bubble season
Gaudreau took a lot of games off seemingly

sometimes there is more to it, I think Kadri gets an extra bad rap for some reason...he is a guy that has played his balls off most of his career

[Flamesfan05]

Tkachuk and Gaudreau never quit like Kadri did
Huge difference between not playing well and quitting on your team

Tkachuk and Gaudreau’s game also involves their team mates, Kadri’s not too much

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Fans can feel whatever they like

Tkachuk mailed in the bubble season
Gaudreau took a lot of games off seemingly

sometimes there is more to it, I think Kadri gets an extra bad rap for some reason...he is a guy that has played his balls off most of his career

We shall cheer loud and hard for Kadri until he is traded from the Flames. We will then declare that he mailed it in or took a lot of games off or was just a 40 point player and talk about how overrated he is. This shall be the way forward.

[Manhattanboy]

Kadri has a lot of fence mending to he done.

I wanted him gone after last season. Have never disliked a Flames player more.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Fans can feel whatever they like

Tkachuk mailed in the bubble season
Gaudreau took a lot of games off seemingly

sometimes there is more to it, I think Kadri gets an extra bad rap for some reason...he is a guy that has played his balls off most of his career

Agree with the bolded.

He has not played his balls off for the Flames. And personally I didn't care for his style of game even before he quit on the team. And to your earlier point 7x7 is an enormous contract for Nazem Kadri. Career high of 61 points outside of his exceptional year, which came at the age of 31.

You can "what about" all you like but I totally understand the fans feelings about Kadri. Luckily it won't take much to change people's minds, it's all up to him.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

You missed the step where Sutter alienated everyone so all the good players (except Toffoli) left or wanted to leave. Heck even the GM left.

I didn’t. No doubt Sutter needs to go as this is not a good fit for him

Trevling left because he was an incompetent fraud that created the mess and an opportunist that ran for what he thinks is a better job

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by jg13

I don't believe the skill or the talent has left Kadri, but as a fan that watches 90%~ of the games I want to see the GAF meter at 100% at all times from the players that are put on the ice. Why would I, a fan paying to watch this team in person be okay with watching someone who literally quit on the team?

There are numerous times he refused to use his line mates even when a shot of energy like Pelletier was introduced to his line.

The quote is nice and I full on hope we see Colorado Kadri next season but you can't blame fans for being sceptical after what we saw from Kadri in the first year as a Calgary Flame.

What’s your GAF meter at work? 100% all times, always?

Hockey players are human beings too.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by TOfan

What’s your GAF meter at work? 100% all times, always?

Hockey players are human beings too.

I think I can muster 100% GAF for 17:13 a few times a week.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Interesting to see the Backlund thread turn into first the Sutter and now Kadri thread.

[Psytic]

The fact he still hit his career averages even mailing it in for quite a few months makes me excited to see what a rejuvenated Kadri giving 100% can do. That and league average goaltending and this is a playoff team. It won't take much.