[Rumour] Instead of trading for right shot centres, here’s some 2025 draft ones

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, trying to turn players into Cs is not how you solve the depth problem at C, and build a winner.

We need to acquire THREE GOOD Cs in the next 2 years.

Zary was drafted as a center and moved to the wing in Stockton, ice time etc. It would be no different then Lindholm who finally returned to center here eventually.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Sandman

David Littman of NHL traderumors suggests the following 8 centers as possible Flames' targets:

-Kirby Dach
-Martin Necas
-Jesperi Kotkaniemi
-Barrett Hayton
-Trevor Zegras
-Marco Rossi
-Peyton Krebs
-Joe Veleno

We've discussed most of these already.

Centers I think might be available that are not on the list:
MTL - continue the rebuild:
Dvorak - 1 x $4.45M, he's 28 and in need of a change of scenery. Could be a pump and dump candidate for half a season.

CBJ - might want to trade 1 for a winger. Only so many C spots with Monahan and Fantilli
K. Johnson - 3 x $1.8M, He's 22, and had a pretty bad year last year. He's on a bit of a hot start, but still isn't great 5 on 5 IMO. Mostly played on Sillinger's wing this year.
C. Sillinger - 2 x $2.25M, He's 21, and is in a pretty similar situation to Johnson. He's still taking on water 5 on 5, but his age and draft pedigree make him a potential buy low candidate.

PHI
N. Cates - 1 x $2.625M, He's 25, He was a healthy scratch in 4 of PHI's games this season. I think he can be a good defensive player in the bottom 6. He was better playing wing last year, than he was playing C 2 years ago, despite a 38P campaign at C.

[Enoch Root]

Zary looked much better on the wing last night. As did Pospisil.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I would love to see Zary with a long look at C actually. Yes, his production drops off, but I would love to just see him get a very long rope and see what he does with it long-term. Lindholm was tried at C for a few tries, and I believe the last try he said that he would be willing to try C again, but only if he was kept there for a long look. He ended up taking off at C.


I think Zary's progression would be good with a half-season with Backlund and Coleman, and then a half season at C, maybe with Huberdeau and Mantha. I like his vision and poise with the puck. I think he can be a really effective playmaker/shooter as a centre, and having a half-season's experience playing alongside Backlund and picking up the finer points of defending as a C would help.

[NegativeSpace]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I would love to see Zary with a long look at C actually. Yes, his production drops off, but I would love to just see him get a very long rope and see what he does with it long-term. Lindholm was tried at C for a few tries, and I believe the last try he said that he would be willing to try C again, but only if he was kept there for a long look. He ended up taking off at C.


I think Zary's progression would be good with a half-season with Backlund and Coleman, and then a half season at C, maybe with Huberdeau and Mantha. I like his vision and poise with the puck. I think he can be a really effective playmaker/shooter as a centre, and having a half-season's experience playing alongside Backlund and picking up the finer points of defending as a C would help.

I actually think allowing him and Backlund to start trading off on faceoffs and transitioning Backlund to the occasional wing would help with both Zary's progression and Backlund's ability to remain on the team as time moves along.

[Jay Random]

Backlund’s been tried on the wing before and was completely ineffective. I don't see that one in the cards.

[traptor]

Habs are looking for a dance partner, I wonder if newhook could be had cheap. He put up okay numbers with them last year and is still only 23.

I think I'd like him over krebs.


Pelletier for Newhook seems pretty fair.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by traptor

Habs are looking for a dance partner, I wonder if newhook could be had cheap. He put up okay numbers with them last year and is still only 23.

I think I'd like him over krebs.


Pelletier for Newhook seems pretty fair.

They could have just claimed him for nothing

[traptor]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

They could have just claimed him for nothing

They could of, but that was then and this is now. Things develop and things change.

They wanted to go into a new seaaon with the decisions they had made and see what they had.

They're off to a rough start and sitting last in the Atlantic. Newhook has 1 point in 7 games.

LeBron is saying they're exploring a shake up.

Pelletier is a French Canadian kid with a lightning spark attitude from the same draft as Newhook. Injuries derailed him last year but he's off to a good start in the AHL so far over a ppg.

I could see if being a mix up worth trying for them.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by traptor

They could of, but that was then and this is now. Things develop and things change.

They wanted to go into a new seaaon with the decisions they had made and see what they had.

They're off to a rough start and sitting last in the Atlantic. Newhook has 1 point in 7 games.

LeBron is saying they're exploring a shake up.

Pelletier is a French Canadian kid with a lightning spark attitude from the same draft as Newhook. Injuries derailed him last year but he's off to a good start in the AHL so far over a ppg.

I could see if being a mix up worth trying for them.

I’d love this for us and Jacob. But it’s more likely he gets moved for a similar player: AHL hot, NHL cold who has to pass waivers. Don’t you think?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by NegativeSpace

I actually think allowing him and Backlund to start trading off on faceoffs and transitioning Backlund to the occasional wing would help with both Zary's progression and Backlund's ability to remain on the team as time moves along.

Backlund's #1 skill is his defensive positioning and acumen. You move him to wing and you remove his one superpower.

[BigThief]

Backlund is turning 36. Maybe not this season but transitioning him to wing for a younger player, even occasionally, is a smart move. Backlund can still be a defensive player on the wing. Lindholm switched from center to wing and back many times here and his defense didn't change.

A little forward thinking and change shouldn't be scary, Enoch Root

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by BigThief

Backlund is turning 36. Maybe not this season but transitioning him to wing for a younger player, even occasionally, is a smart move. Backlund can still be a defensive player on the wing. Lindholm switched from center to wing and back many times here and his defense didn't change.

A little forward thinking and change shouldn't be scary, Enoch Root

Scary? LOL, okay then.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by BigThief

Backlund is turning 36. Maybe not this season but transitioning him to wing for a younger player, even occasionally, is a smart move. Backlund can still be a defensive player on the wing. Lindholm switched from center to wing and back many times here and his defense didn't change.

A little forward thinking and change shouldn't be scary, Enoch Root

Playing a young centre on his wing is a smart move…

[BigThief]

Did I say it wasn't.................

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by BigThief

Did I say it wasn't.................

The other is not.

[BigThief]

Backlund is turning 36. Maybe not this season but transitioning him to wing for a younger player, even occasionally, is a smart move. Backlund can still be a defensive player on the wing.

Since you missed my point and made up another one I'll say it again. If you don't get it now our ellipsis battle is over.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

I’d love this for us and Jacob. But it’s more likely he gets moved for a similar player: AHL hot, NHL cold who has to pass waivers. Don’t you think?

Yeah probably.

Newhook is somewhat comparable given they were drafted in the same year and he hasn't taken off in the NHL yet, but he does have a bit more track record in the NHL still.

Maybe like a Ty Dellandrea or Ryan Suzuki would be closer to even.

[Calgary4LIfe]

One of the absolute worst ideas was thinking that this team needed to move Backlund to the wing. If I was Treliving at the time, I would constitute that as a fireable offence. Backlund was one (and still is) of the league's best defensive centres. Those don't grow on trees.


No idea how long Backlund ends up playing for, but he is aging really well. Let's just assume he re-signs again on the Flames after his current deal is up. With his dedication to fitness and how his footspeed (thus far) has remained really good, I would say he would probably still make for an effective 4th line centre that you don't have to worry about getting caught out there against good players. Someone you can use like Sutter used Yelle in the '04 series - taking important draws and be defensively sound with limited minutes. It will be interesting to see how Backlund's career winds down, but so far, he isn't showing any hint of it.


He is a very, very good defensive centre that plays hard minutes. I wouldn't transition him away from the middle of the ice in order to transition someone else in. I would rather just move him down the lineup. That 3rd line centre spot is wide open between Huberdeau and Mantha. I wouldn't move Backlund to the wing to give Zary some reps there - I would just move Zary to that line and keep him there for a month to see what happens - if he starts trending up or remains flat as a C.