Rhetzky wants to have a chat about the Captain - Page 4 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

PuckSlap · 03-04-2025, 05:26 PM

Don’t expect him to be more than he was the prior 10+ years when it comes to his offence. But when you take the captaincy, that puts you in a position to find that other gear. You need to play hard every game, lead by example and get the team fired up. I’m not seeing anything like that from him.

To me, he seems like captain by default. This flames team will probably be forgotten in the coming years.

But at least we have a few good pieces in the works.

OminousFlames · 03-04-2025, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Who would we give the C to instead ?

Hard to say on this team. I would probably have picked Weegar. Even prior to Backs being captain, I never thought that he was future captain material. Had Tkachuk stayed, he would have been a good choice too.

Vinsta13 · 03-04-2025, 05:41 PM

Who had Kuzmenko scoring on their bingo card?

Vinsta13 · 03-04-2025, 05:42 PM

Sharky!!

Vinsta13 · 03-04-2025, 05:44 PM

Huberdeau with 2 terrible giveaways in the d zone. Never understood why he aims for the low percentage passes. Especially in the d zone.

Vinsta13 · 03-04-2025, 05:44 PM

^ wrong thread, sorry!

camm13 · 03-04-2025, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigthief

backlund will be 37 in two weeks, 37 years old. Expecting him to suddenly raise his game is so f'n stupid. Rhett warrener was six years retired at 37. Backlund isn't a young star player captain, like change expectations.

36.

topfiverecords · 03-04-2025, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

You’re right. The Flames aren’t scoring because the captain isn’t telling them to score.

Why hasn’t Backlund thought of that?

Someone get Tillie on this. Stat.

PuckSlap · 03-04-2025, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camm13

36.

That’s the same as 37 in Swede years

BigThief · 03-04-2025, 06:24 PM

I'm a Christian God Fearing man. I do not nor will I have acknowledge a number so close to the word sex.

DropIt · 03-04-2025, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OminousFlames

I don't expect that. I expect him as captain to get his teammates to elevate their games via motivation. So many players on the team are having career lows.

A roster that everyone had penciled into abottom 5-10 spot is instead in a heated playoff race, so who is to say he isn't doing just that?

GullFoss · 03-04-2025, 07:35 PM

I had this as one of the worst teams in the league, so who exactly gets the credit for the fact they're holding down a playoff spot 60+ games into the season?

He's clearly doing something as the entire team has bought into grinding it out in a "defense first" system game after game.

FanIn80 · 03-04-2025, 07:50 PM

At this point, Lomberg would be a better Captain. Pospisil, even. Anyone with a pulse, really.

Jiri Hrdina · 03-04-2025, 07:57 PM

Based on what exactly?

DropIt · 03-04-2025, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

At this point, Lomberg would be a better Captain. Pospisil, even. Anyone with a pulse, really.

Goriders · 03-05-2025, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

I never really thought he was the right pick to begin with but I don't think it's fair to criticize him for it at the moment.

He's playing far, far too much on a nightly basis and that is on Huska, not Backlund.

5 points in his last 25 games while routinely playing 19/20 mins a night just isn't going to cut it. His offensive game has vanished, and when he's leading the TOI charge it hinders this teams ability to score goals.

I think it’s not just Backlund. The Backlund Coleman duo seems to be a shadow of its former self.

Goriders · 03-05-2025, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

At this point, Lomberg would be a better Captain. Pospisil, even. Anyone with a pulse, really.

Think I’d pick Weegar or Andersson

Bingo · 03-05-2025, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fan69

Insane? Hardly.

He is mid thirties he is a shutdown center who gets a lot if ice time on a team that can’t score? This is one of the poorest stretches if play we have seen from him and it isnt five games. He is a bottom six forward declining that isnt an onslaught that is reality.

So type out the stats again?

More time against elite + top two on the team in play driving metrics = SUCCESSFUL SHUT DOWN CENTER

Bingo · 03-05-2025, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

No, it’s been very fair criticism for lazy uninspired play.

Watch him. Watch him “try” and tell me with a straight face he’s giving his all out there.

Backlund is controller disconnected.

Then he's a generational defensive center!

How can you play the toughest minutes with the best metrics and not be trying and have your controller disconnected.

Oh what could have been if he only showed up for work!

Ryan Coke · 03-05-2025, 07:47 AM

So, either he got old partway through this season, suddenly and noticeably, or he is struggling with an injury. I wonder which….

As for shutting him down if he’s injured, nice idea but…..we have Kevin Rooney playing regularly. Current Backlund is still way better than Rooney.

I’ve seen this too many times over the years, players play drops off inexplicably, but some people don’t want to believe it is that these guys are often trying to play through injuries since that player at 75% is still better than the replacement.