[Rumour] Dreger: Backlund is available. Garrioch: Shane O'Brien available too

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Where ru Chris O'Sullivan

That poll in my signature haunts you, right?

Wow, I never really read your sig before. You kind of have a conversation going on with yourself there. Your hate of backlund is hilarious, but after reading your sig, it almost sounds a little obsessive.

[edslunch]

I'll be disappointed is Backlund doesn't pan out, but how cool is it that the team thinks it has a surplus of prospects and can make some hard decisions

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

He's still young and has considerable upside. I would want someone of equal skill level and scoring potential, in exchange, with perhaps a little more physicality. Even swapping for a 2nd wouldn't excite me.

Your suggestion is to trade Backlund for another Backlund but more physical? Not sure why the other team would do that trade.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Not prepared to give up on Backlund, but don't mind moving any player for the right return, and I wouldn't be upset if he was shipped out. Right now, he's struggling to outplay any of Monahan, Stajan, and Colborne for a spot on the roster. One could argue he also struggled to outplay Street earlier as well.

Despite being young, might be one of those requires a change and a drastic move to happen to jolt his career back in motion. Nothing to do with the organization, but so,ermines things just don't fall into place for people until they get a fresh start or a huge kick in the pants. Backlund may have too many key development years in what seemed to be the poison atmospher that was the Flames post 2009.

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Your suggestion is to trade Backlund for another Backlund but more physical? Not sure why the other team would do that trade.

Totally agree here. I'd personally trade Backlund for a pick or a dman prospect.

IMHO let's be a bit old school here and give a chance to Knight and Blair Jones to become our new Otto and Yelle/Skrudland maybe. I'd like to see two big and physical bottom 6 centers, strong at faceoffs.

[Vinny01]

I think a Backlund trade works if we can take advantage of a teams cap situation and get a good player that one team can't fit I. Their future plans anymore

[Fighting Banana Slug]

It is pointless to debate a Backlund trade without any sense of what the return is. Dreger is trolling as usual.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Your suggestion is to trade Backlund for another Backlund but more physical? Not sure why the other team would do that trade.

Maybe pay a little more, add a player, etc. I would not want to reduce the skill and scoring potential of our team any further, and for any trade for Backlund, we would have to envision a net gain of sorts. However that is accomplished, is up to the negotiators.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

It is pointless to debate a Backlund trade without any sense of what the return is. Dreger is trolling as usual.

I think the point is to debate what the possible return could be or what (in a broad sense) people think he is worth.

Seems pretty par for the course considering this is a message board meant for discussing things.

[Calgary4LIfe]

The best trade scenario I see for Backlund at this point is a BASIS around Backlund for Ugly Contract + 1st.

Something like Malone, or Booth, or something along those lines. Teams that are up against the cap and have a guy signed for 2 years or so. Depending on the contract, Flames add or receive more.

I do think that Backlund for a 2nd would just be spinning the wheels and does little for this team moving forward.

[Caged Great]

The only way I would be okay with Backlund moving is if you're trading him for a defenseman. The Flames now have enough center depth to get by with moving him out if it's filling an area of weakness, which the only glaring area we lack in is quality defensemen. If we can pry Del Zotto off the Rangers for a package around Backlund, I'd be fine with that.

[FlameZilla]

^^^^^

Backlund for any of Del Zotto, L. Schenn or Jake Gardiner. Someone surplus to requirements in another organisation, but still with a significant upside. Otherwise I see no point trading him, unless it's part of a larger trade.

[nik-]

If we traded Backlund for Luke Schenn I'd probably cry.

Assuming this is true, it makes me sad that management has decided Joe Colborne has made Backlund unnecessary. The guy has been pretty mediocre overall, I don't get the love affair.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

The best trade scenario I see for Backlund at this point is a BASIS around Backlund for Ugly Contract + 1st.

Something like Malone, or Booth, or something along those lines. Teams that are up against the cap and have a guy signed for 2 years or so. Depending on the contract, Flames add or receive more.

I do think that Backlund for a 2nd would just be spinning the wheels and does little for this team moving forward.

In theory I agree with you but having a Booth around the team might be a distraction. He's not fit in Vancouver and there are questions on his commitment /training in the off season. In that instance, we might be better off with a second than taking on Booth to get a first.

[Vinny01]

What about Backlund and Butler for Brouwer and Bowey?

The Caps are in a tough cap position and Brouwer has a long term deal at nearly $4M for 3 years. Bowey is a D prospect the Flames were rumoured to be high on at the draft and Brouwer could be a replacement for Stempniak he is 28 and can play with an edge. Caps take a chance on Backlund who comes cheap this year and next and Butler who is a throw in but could help the caps bottom pair

[moon]

Flames fans have complained about Butler for the whole time he has been here and the Caps are going to trade a 2nd round pick from last year to downgrade from Brouwer to Backlund?

I know fans views are often skewed but can't imagine that Capitals scouts have been overly impressed with Butler that they want to add him to their team while trying to win now.

[868904]

Originally Posted by moon

Flames fans have complained about Butler for the whole time he has been here and the Caps are going to trade a 2nd round pick from last year to downgrade from Brouwer to Backlund?

I know fans views are often skewed but can't imagine that Capitals scouts have been overly impressed with Butler that they want to add him to their team while trying to win now.

It's really hard to say what pro scouts see compared to what fans see. If you base Butler's play on only what the fans see, there's no way that he should even be in the lineup, yet Brent Sutter and Bob Hartley continually play him in a top 4 role.

Do other team's pro scouts share similar viewpoints as NHL coaches or to fans?

Sutter and Hartley can't be the only "hockey people" who think Butler is good, can they?

[Vinny01]

Caps fans have been talking about giving Brouwer away for nothing due to his poor play this year and long term deal.

What the Flames need to do with Backlund is find a trading partner that needs the cap space. The Flames need to pull off an Erhoff, Franson, Regehr type trade here to maximize the value out of Backs

[moon]

Originally Posted by 868904

It's really hard to say what pro scouts see compared to what fans see. If you base Butler's play on only what the fans see, there's no way that he should even be in the lineup, yet Brent Sutter and Bob Hartley continually play him in a top 4 role.

Do other team's pro scouts share similar viewpoints as NHL coaches or to fans?

Sutter and Hartley can't be the only "hockey people" who think Butler is good, can they?

Do they think he is good or good relative to what they have?

Brent is a smart guy so hard to believe that he thought Butler was good. Hartley is an idiot so he could think anything.

[868904]

Originally Posted by moon

Do they think he is good or good relative to what they have?

Brent is a smart guy so hard to believe that he thought Butler was good. Hartley is an idiot so he could think anything.

I have to admit I don't like Butler much, but the two coaches we've had here with him keep giving him quality ice time, so he must be doing something right.

I can see why they like him, he blocks a lot of shots, he's decently mobile, he's got good size.

He tends to make some really big brain farts at wrong times leading to turnovers, but really, Brodie and Wideman probably make just as much if not more.

Brodie and Wideman are more popular because they bring more offense and I guess also because they don't have a pointy face and a stupid name.

I'd rather they move him and hoping that some other teams' pro scouts see the positives rather than the negatives in his game.