Is it time to trade Mikael Backlund?

[Poe969]

depends on what would be coming back. If we had the #5 draft pick this year and could move up to 1 or 2 for our pick and Backlund, then maybe it's worth it. I wouldn't trade him for a 3rd round pick, probably not even a second round pick. He has value to the team, he isn't priceless but he isn't worthless either.

Everyone has a price. I agree with making trades to benefit the team but trading Backlund just for the sake of trading him doesn't make sense.

[IgiTang]

I vote, Backlund and Cammi to CBJ for Artem Anisimov and a 2nd.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Nope, it isn't time to deal him yet.

However it will be time in a few months to deal Cammalleri and especially Stajan. Stajan is the centre who's proven that he definitely won't be part of the answer here.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

I vote, Backlund and Cammi to CBJ for Artem Anisimov and a 2nd.

Good thing none of us get votes that count.

[Fan in Exile]

Why? Is there any urgency to trading him? Is he hurting the team? Does he have significant value? I still think Backlund has signficant potential, and he's a solid two-way player right now.

[Phanuthier]

Agreed with FDW here. Stajan will be the one going, not Backlund..... when Stajan does go, Backlund's role will either increase or he'll go when his contract is up.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

I vote, Backlund and Cammi to CBJ for Artem Anisimov and a 2nd.

The only way I do that is if they throw tom in too so we can send him to Alaska

[SofaProfessor]

I don't think you trade Backlund right now. There are other pieces the Flames should be trying to move before him - if you're trying to make the argument that they need room for some young guys from Abby. Also, trading him now would be selling low. That's poor management of what could still be a great asset to this team. This guy is young and hasn't had an opportunity to build consistent confidence because of some injuries in years past. I am willing to wait on Backlund this season. It's not like trading Backlund suddenly makes this team better. In fact, it probably makes the team worse because the best you can hope for coming back is a third round pick or Chris Butler 2.0.

[Huntingwhale]

AH good ol' CP. 20ish games into the rebuild and already talks of trading away one of our few centers who is still young and strong defensively. The problem with Backlund isn't as much about him as it is about people tempering their expectations for him. Once everyone realizes he will never be the PPG #1 center we all wished he'd become, it makes it a lot easier to accept him for who he is and the role he plays.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Brewmaster

The rumoured trade of Backlund for Turris from two years ago would have been a steal in hindsight.

Phoenix probably thought the same thing which is why they didn't make that trade back then. The Flames 1st round pick was likely also involved in the deal but then Weisbrod found Jankowski and fell in love.


As for trading Backlund now? I am against it unless it is one of those deals where the Flames take on some pretty big money and Backlund is a throw in piece.

[djsFlames]

Backlund is my age. Please don't use the words "post-apex" around here..

[Where ru Chris O'Sullivan]

Well, wish I would have been the one to make the thread (good thread btw!)

He looks and has looked, absolutely lost for the past 3 seasons. His Paul Ranheim-ish work ethic wins a few over, but most times he is the invisible man.

Everyone wants to talk about building towards a champion, no pressure, he's a 3rd line centre, hes 24.... he went 1/10 in the dot last night, how many championship teams have a soft, but also non-producing, non face-off winning centre?

I told one and all that a lockout saved him a year, luckily he got a 2 year deal out of it. If he can't play on the Calgary Flames (with Bob Hartley) as coach, he certainly can't play on a juggernaut.

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by flambers

If I recall correctly "Bettman" is in the media.

Yeah, after I posted that I did the ol' "dig through post history" bit. Looks like he is a newspaper writer. Also not a big fan of having Ken King involved in hockey ops apparently.

[Itse]

If Backlund was playing for another team, he wouldn't be the kind of player we'd be targeting.

We can't start hanging on to guys just because they're young and our guys. Year 1 of the rebuild is where you shed guys that are not part of the future, including prospects.

Backlund is okay for us now, but he doesn't seem to have a role here going forward. While this could of course change, I don't think that's the bet the smart money takes anymore.

Of course you don't trade Backlund just to get rid of him, no rush. But if somebody offers fair value, you trade him, just like you would trade Cammalleri, Stajan or Stempniak, and he's at a point where I think you start dropping his name into conversations to see if there's interest.

[Rerun]

If he maintains his current scoring pace, he'll end up with 10 goals and 20 assists for the season.
Not saying there's any rush to trade him... after all he does fill a space in the line up... but if the right deal comes along, why not?

Does anybody on here really believe that he's going to get any better than what he's shown so far and that there's nobody in the system that can replace him?

What are we really losing if he's not in the line up? Not too much, I say.

[CsInMyBlood]

Backlund has simply been misused by Hartley. He needs more icetime and solid linemates to actually show what he is capable of.

Playing a fourth line role with Jackman/Bouma/McGrattan will not make him succeed.

Playing 10 mins a night doesn't put him in a position to succeed.

Not giving him PP time doesn't put him in a position to succeed.

Backlund started out the season playing strong on the puck, aggressive with a lot of puck pursuit and was playing with a lot of confidence. As his ice time got lower and linemates became scrubs (sorry Jackman/Bouma/McGrattan) his game changed.

I keep hoping 'Artley will put his whipping boys Sven and Mikael on a line together and give em a solid 18-20 mins with PP time for a couple of games to see what they can do.

I mean play your young guys in situations where they have a chance to excel. I thought this was the year where we aren't supposed to win, we are supposed to develop and figure out what we have going forward.

Flames go 0 for 30 on the PP, yet he wont try Backlund and Baertschi on the PP. Frustrates me to no end.

Trading Backlund at this point would be a huge mistake IMO.

[automaton 3]

IMO no point in attempting to trade him right now, unless he becomes part of a bigger deal.

Might as well wait until after the trade deadline and evaluate how the call-ups look in comparison...then decide if and where he fits.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Itse

If Backlund was playing for another team, he wouldn't be the kind of player we'd be targeting.

100% Disagree.

He is exactly the type of guy we would be after.

Pre-Apex, that has shown flashes of being good but hasn't been able to put it all together yet.

Hell us picking up Joe Colborne is a perfect example of that. IMO those two are similar players in terms of where they are in the development cycle, Backlund is actually more proven and has shown more in their young careers.

[$ven27]

Depending on what we get back, of course. Be silly not to

[Rerun]

I'm just afraid that if we wait too long to trade him (assuming that there is no future for Backlund with the Flames re-build)

a) His trade value will drop even further with more exposure to league GM's
b) He'll get injured, once again, and he'll be labeled as an injury prone, at best, 3rd line player.