[Signing] Flames Sign Backlund to Multi Year Deal! 3 years, 3.575m AAV.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Let's not bite on Ricardo's thinly veiled attempt at turning this into a Jankowski thread.

*made this post before seeing PM. Jiri please pm me from account you can receive replies?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Let's not bite on Ricardo's thinly veiled attempt at turning this into a Jankowski thread.

You are right. I am sorry.

[codynw]

Too late. Thread's been Jankowski'd.

[DoubleF]

IMO, fighting your way to a centre roster spot on our team isn't easy at all.

Monahan
Backlund
Stajan

IMO are the top locks as at this point. Bennett isn't there yet. Assuming you are coming to the Flames and those 3 haven't changed (and assuming no trades), you're fighting Granlund, Shore, Jooris, Bennett?, Colborne, Arnold for a spot.

Assuming Colborne and Shore are converted to winger full time and Bennett learns with Backlund, you're still fighting Jooris and Granlund. God forbid Bennett locks up 2C or 3C earily, then you're fighting Stajan too. We haven't even begun looking at what we pick up in the next few drafts.

Any prospect hoping for 3/4C would need to sit on a wing for at least a season IMO. But that gets confusing once winger pieces enter the NHL. Where do Poirier and Klimchuk go if converted Cs are squatting on spots? An establish NHLer would be fighting for 2/3/4C but depending who those NHLers are, would prying Backlund from his role be easy? (Assuming there's no way you pry Monahan from 1C)

Looking at those bodies, I feel like watching AHL trades for the Flames might be exciting this year. Quantity for quality trades are my guess.

Back on track, I love Backlund and the way he seems to chase down players when on the ice. I would love to see some of that rub off on Bennett (but I think Bennett already sorta does that naturally).

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

There's almost no chance Granlund, Jooris or Bouma will play centre any more, and Arnold is not close to making the team IMO. Jankowski is a couple years away still, about when Stajan will be done here. The 3-4 centres will be Backs, Janko, Shore or Colborne, and the latter two can play wing.

Arnold not being close to making the team? Rookie pro season as the highest scoring centre (ppg) on an AHL team?

He finished strong getting 17 pts in his last 22 games coming back from 2 months recovery for a shoulder injury. He had 21 pts in 39 games before the injury.

I would consider this a pretty impressive pro-debut.and solid development Maybe Poirier is closer... maybe not.

[SuperMatt18]

Poirier, Arnold, Agostino all had good strong rookie AHL seasons.

Don't make the team to start the season but at the mid-way point and as injuries start to pile up they may make some noise.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

NHL players in Alberta paid less in taxes than anywhere else in the league. I would guess it's a non-issue.

Except in the States where there is no State income tax: Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Nevada

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Except in the States where there is no State income tax: Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Nevada

http://www.taxpayer.com/media/CTF-Ho...sadvantage.pdf

Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers tied for the lowest
jurisdictional tax rate at 38.5% with the Florida, Texas and
Tennessee teams close behind at 40.5%.

[Weitz]

Edit: Beat by the D

[heep223]

^ probably not for long....because you know, NDP

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by D as in David

http://www.taxpayer.com/media/CTF-Ho...sadvantage.pdf

That was before the tax increases which were announced last Thursday.

They announced that anyone making over I think 300 or 350k per year will be paying a provincial tax rate of 15%. Basically a 50% increase from what it currently is. A number which affects all NHL players.

The Canadiens always pay a higher cap number, and much of it is to do with the fact that in Quebec the take home isn't quite the same. So I expect that knowing this, the Flames may need to start paying a bit more as the take home pay for NHL players is impacted by this new tax structure, no matter how much they can write their way out of certain expenses.

[Jason14h]

probably not for long....because you know, NDP

If we miss the playoffs next season I know who to blame!!!!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Arnold not being close to making the team? Rookie pro season as the highest scoring centre (ppg) on an AHL team?

He finished strong getting 17 pts in his last 22 games coming back from 2 months recovery for a shoulder injury. He had 21 pts in 39 games before the injury.

I would consider this a pretty impressive pro-debut.and solid development Maybe Poirier is closer... maybe not.

He is not close. He is behind other centres who are playing wing. He was passed over for call ups, even at spot forward duty this year by Granlund, Shore, Baertschi, Wolf, Poirier.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He is not close. He is behind other centres who are playing wing. He was passed over for call ups, even at spot forward duty this year by Granlund, Shore, Baertschi, Wolf, Poirier.

Why do I have memory of the Flames saying Arnold was close to being called up and then his injury happened. Arnold is going to be an NHL'er IMO. and closer than you're alluding to.

Defensive stalwart and F/O wizard.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Let's not bite on Ricardo's thinly veiled attempt at turning this into a Jankowski thread.

*made this post before seeing PM. Jiri please pm me from account you can receive replies?

I can't receive pms from this account but you can pm my cphl account Wild GM

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He is not close. He is behind other centres who are playing wing. He was passed over for call ups, even at spot forward duty this year by Granlund, Shore, Baertschi, Wolf, Poirier.

Granlund 2nd year pro who made the NHl team out of training camp.
Shore 4 year pro with 78 NHL games
Baertschi 3rd year pro
Wolf 25 year old 6 year pro who was going to be a UFA so it was now or never to see if he was worth keeping.

So basically the first year pros that were better than Arnold - Gaudreau

Guys who might be as good Poirier and Agostino.

Jooris did not get called up for garbage time in his first pro season either. Didn't seem to hurt him from being a pretty regular NHLer in his second year as a pro.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Granlund 2nd year pro who made the NHl team out of training camp.

Granlund didn't make the team out of camp. He was the last cut but he was assigned to the AHL when the Flames announced their opening day roster. He was recalled October 29th after injuries to Stajan and Colborne.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Granlund 2nd year pro who made the NHl team out of training camp.
Shore 4 year pro with 78 NHL games
Baertschi 3rd year pro
Wolf 25 year old 6 year pro who was going to be a UFA so it was now or never to see if he was worth keeping.

So basically the first year pros that were better than Arnold - Gaudreau

Guys who might be as good Poirier and Agostino.

Jooris did not get called up for garbage time in his first pro season either. Didn't seem to hurt him from being a pretty regular NHLer in his second year as a pro.

If Arnold plays next year great. I don't think he's ready. Oh, you forgot Ferland and Bennett.

[JohnnyTitan]

Just wanted to go back and see what most of us thought of Backs deal last year.

Congrats CP -> Almost unanimously positive.

What a freak'n stud this guy is! I would be surprised if there were any future International Tourneys where Backlund wasn't a prominent member of Sweden...at least for the next five years!

Glad we have him. Truly a guy you can win with and a type of player championship teams need!

[Strange Brew]

Ha.

Great seeing the Ricardo love for Arnold. BTW haven't heard much from him now that Hamilton is playing better.