Making the playoffs or keeping our top-10 first round pick 2025?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Icon

Seems doable for team tank.

L @ Leafs
L @ Rangers
L @ Devils
W @ Isles
L vs Kraken
L vs Stars
L @ Oilers
L @ Avs
W @ Utah
W vs Ducks
L vs Knights
W @ Sharks
OTL @ Ducks
L vs Wild
W vs Sharks
L vs Knights
L @ Kings

5-11-1

Sure there's a couple "winnable" ones in there, obviously depends what version of the Flames shows up for those.

I'm guessing we see something more like 6-8-3, landing us right where nobody wants to finish.

I don't know with the two losses already, and then you have them going 1-7-0 in the next 8 that means they have a 1-9-0 stretch...and I really just don't see that happening.

And there lies the issue.

You need to go 5-11-1 to finish bottom 10.

You likely need to go 10-6-1 to make the playoffs.

Anything else leaves you exactly where you don't want to be but unfortunately that's the most likely outcome.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Guess we'll see starting Tuesday when Zary is back.

To me he doesn't fill that void at all.

He's a good young player that can drive play, but isn't used to defend against the league's best.

With Backlund you get 15 minutes a night of five on five hockey against matchups where things don't tend to go wrong.

They can't make up those 15 minutes because they are thin as you point out.

But Zary isn't going to change that.

Someone on the radio who watches the team closely said that what most people don't notice, especially on the road, is how hard other teams work to avoid putting their best line against Backlund.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

Whether this team gets the top 10 pick or not I think it's better they fall down the standings the rest of the way.

By the 1st month of the next season or so the following players will be:

Backlund 36 years old
Kadri 35 years old
Coleman 34 years old
Huberdeau 32 years old
Weegar 31 years old.

Wolf is this teams MVP, after that these guys are what is driving this team to be close to a playoff team. If they fold without Backlund, it should show Conroy how far off this team will be when he is gone.

Backlund is 37 before the season ends next year.

Apparently Huska is holding those guys back and they should be having career years lol.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I don't know with the two losses already, and then you have them going 1-7-0 in the next 8 that means they have a 1-9-0 stretch...and I really just don't see that happening.

And there lies the issue.

You need to go 5-11-1 to finish bottom 10.

You likely need to go 10-6-1 to make the playoffs.

Anything else leaves you exactly where you don't want to be but unfortunately that's the most likely outcome.

They’re already two games into the losing streak they need to squeak into the bottom 10. Another three or four losses in quick succession and you could see them start to shut guys down for the season if they’re dealing with nagging injuries.

And this isn’t a team that can withstand injuries to anyone. Look what losing Bahl did to them. And not to say he’s not having a great year or isn’t important to the team, but if we can’t manage without Kevin Bahl for a few weeks, we have the depth of a toddler pool.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

Whether this team gets the top 10 pick or not I think it's better they fall down the standings the rest of the way.

By the 1st month of the next season or so the following players will be:

Backlund 36 years old
Kadri 35 years old
Coleman 34 years old
Huberdeau 32 years old
Weegar 31 years old.

Wolf is this teams MVP, after that these guys are what is driving this team to be close to a playoff team. If they fold without Backlund, it should show Conroy how far off this team will be when he is gone.

Backlund is 37 before the season ends next year.

Absolutely.

Backlund's path is less offensively productive shut down center --> Fourth line secondary shut down role --> Healthy scratch --> Retirement

And when things tip they really tend to tip.

But he is very much needed, even if not as affective as usual, right now.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Absolutely.

Backlund's path is less offensively productive shut down center --> Fourth line secondary shut down role --> Healthy scratch --> Retirement

And when things tip they really tend to tip.

But he is very much needed, even if not as affective as usual, right now.

He is 51.8% at even strength. 11 goals. He had 15 goals in 82 games last year.

Not sure what the expectation is for a 36-year-old from some people. Players start to see their numbers dip as they age not go up.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

Yeah, the notion of Backlund as the 4th line C was silly/premature, but also likely to result in a pointless argument.

I think all Flames fans would agree that Backlund wasn't as effective/dominant on both sides of the ice this season. I just had a hard time figuring out if Backlund was struggling because of his age, from fatigue playing 18+ mins a night, or due to playing through an injury.

That said, I'm a huge Backlund fan, so he deserves the credit for everything he has done for this organization.

It’s not about whether or not Backlund is a 4th line player right now. It’s about choosing to play a young up and comer on the wing on the 4th line, or riding the old vet into the sunset while potentially misusing the aforementioned young player. This is the same franchise that literally chose to ride Backlund as 2C, instead of developing our highest draft pick ever, where he should’ve been developed. We are not going after the cup. Backlund up the lineup is not winning us anything. Give the up and comers a chance to succeed in a bigger role. Zero foresight.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

He is 51.8% at even strength. 11 goals. He had 15 goals in 82 games last year.

Not sure what the expectation is for a 36-year-old from some people. Players start to see their numbers dip as they age not go up.

I think people expect what they’ve always expected from Backs. 30-40 points, strong defensive play, leadership, and secondary scoring.

Which is what they’ve gotten this year too.

He’s on the downward slide of his career. Everyone knows that.

He’s not dead yet.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

It’s not about whether or not Backlund is a 4th line player right now. It’s about choosing to play a young up and comer on the wing on the 4th line, or riding the old vet into the sunset while potentially misusing the aforementioned young player. This is the same franchise that literally chose to ride Backlund as 2C, instead of developing our highest draft pick ever, where he should’ve been developed. We are not going after the cup. Backlund up the lineup is not winning us anything. Give the up and comers a chance to succeed in a bigger role. Zero foresight.

That was a decade ago, man - move on.

What up and comers are being blocked by Backlund at the moment?

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Absolutely.

Backlund's path is less offensively productive shut down center --> Fourth line secondary shut down role --> Healthy scratch --> Retirement

And when things tip they really tend to tip.

But he is very much needed, even if not as affective as usual, right now.

To me it's less about Backlund and more about how paper thin the depth is.

A significant injury just about anywhere on the roster and they're in a world of hurt. At center and D specifically.

Look how the team cratered without Bahl, too.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

That was a decade ago, man - move on.

What up and comers are being blocked by Backlund at the moment?

Zary obviously.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

Zary obviously.

The team doesn't see him as a C, I don't agree with it. SO the issue isn't Backlund here it is the wingers.

I think he is one of the few playing driving players we have who can take the puck and skate it in.

He would need to put in an offensive role does not replace Backlunds role.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

It’s not about whether or not Backlund is a 4th line player right now. It’s about choosing to play a young up and comer on the wing on the 4th line, or riding the old vet into the sunset while potentially misusing the aforementioned young player. This is the same franchise that literally chose to ride Backlund as 2C, instead of developing our highest draft pick ever, where he should’ve been developed. We are not going after the cup. Backlund up the lineup is not winning us anything. Give the up and comers a chance to succeed in a bigger role. Zero foresight.

That's cart before horse stuff.

The Flames don't have a ready made top nine forward just sitting with the Wranglers that is being hot housed.

Every young forward on the current roster is being used as a top nine forward with the exception of a young player (currently suspended) that has been struggling coming off a knee injury.

And I'd never call Backlund a 2C, I think it's a trap to get into line rankings.

He's the shut down guy used to shut down and that requires a lot of minutes.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

Zary obviously.

There is nothing obvious about Zary yet.

We don't know if he's a center ... a winger ... an upper roster player, or a bottom six.

Sample size and consistency isn't there.

And he's only had about 5 games of fourth line usage in his brief NHL career.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

The team doesn't see him as a C, I don't agree with it. SO the issue isn't Backlund here it is the wingers.

I think he is one of the few playing driving players we have who can take the puck and skate it in.

He would need to put in an offensive role does not replace Backlunds role.

No I don’t agree either. He clearly has C potential to me, and you are right, he is good at carrying the puck and skating it in. Which is a much harder skill to acquire, then teaching a C how to properly defend in their own zone.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

To me it's less about Backlund and more about how paper thin the depth is.

A significant injury just about anywhere on the roster and they're in a world of hurt. At center and D specifically.

Look how the team cratered without Bahl, too.

If you look at some of the injuries the teams we are racing have had, if Bahl and Backlund injuries cripple us....we aren't very good

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

Zary obviously.

Connor Zary has played 15 fewer games than Backlund and spent all of 6 fewer minutes on the man advantage (at least according to Evolving-hockey).

He’s not being blocked from anything.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

It’s not about whether or not Backlund is a 4th line player right now. It’s about choosing to play a young up and comer on the wing on the 4th line, or riding the old vet into the sunset while potentially misusing the aforementioned young player. This is the same franchise that literally chose to ride Backlund as 2C, instead of developing our highest draft pick ever, where he should’ve been developed. We are not going after the cup. Backlund up the lineup is not winning us anything. Give the up and comers a chance to succeed in a bigger role. Zero foresight.

Yeah, fair point, and I don't think that the Flames were in a position to try it this season. The immediate buy in from the players, and the immediate success they found to start the season prevented both management and coaches from treating it like a rebuild/development year. I could argue that the players themselves would've been disheartened by Backlund being demoted to the 4th line for a younger player that hasn't yet earned his spot.

I bet the coaches are having daily discussions about how to maximize both the short and long term potential of our players. I'm sure centre vs wing and slotting based on the opponent are a big part of that discussion. Eventually, perhaps as soon as next year, both Frost and Zary will take over as our full time middle 6 Centers.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Connor Zary has played 15 fewer games than Backlund and spent all of 6 fewer minutes on the man advantage (at least according to Evolving-hockey).

He’s not being blocked from anything.

That’s because he has a lot more skill. Therefore, maybe the 4th line isn’t the best place for him.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

Yeah, fair point, and I don't think that the Flames were in a position to try it this season. The immediate buy in from the players, and the immediate success they found to start the season prevented both management and coaches from treating it like a rebuild/development year. I could argue that the players themselves would've been disheartened by Backlund being demoted to the 4th line for a younger player that hasn't yet earned his spot.

I bet the coaches are having daily discussions about how to maximize both the short and long term potential of our players. I'm sure centre vs wing and slotting based on the opponent are a big part of that discussion. Eventually, perhaps as soon as next year, both Frost and Zary will take over as our full time middle 6 Centers.

Playing Backlund up the lineup was fine by me before the acquisition of Frost, and Zary’s eventual return.