I Like Mikael Backlund

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Itse

Only one C at a time, and Gio was the clear choice at the time, and still is.

Wouldn't surprise me if he gets the C after Gio.

The only thing that makes me think twice about this is how long it took for them to even give him an A. They gave one to Monahan, Brouwer, Russell, Wideman, Glencross, etc ahead of him. He only got his at the same time as Tkachuk. Which is kind of baffling. I sometimes wonder if he told them he didn’t want a letter (some guys don’t).

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by TheChief

When hes on, he is absolutely our best player hands down by quite a margin.

Was thinking this a couple games back.

The thing with Backlund is when he's having a great game, you feel it through the entire game.
He doesn't just get pp points or finish his chances, he literally shifts the flow of the game since his impact is on all parts of the ice.
He both puts up points and puts the other teams best players on shutdown, so the entire game feels different like the ice has tilted.

I would agree that there's no other player who can impact a single game the way he does when at his best (aside from Markstrom).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Was thinking this a couple games back.

The thing with Backlund is when he's having a great game, you feel it through the entire game.
He doesn't just get pp points or finish his chances, he literally shifts the flow of the game since his impact is on all parts of the ice.
He both puts up points and puts the other teams best players on shutdown, so the entire game feels different like the ice has tilted.

I would agree that there's no other player who can impact a single game the way he does when at his best (aside from Markstrom).

Gio and Johnny used to do this, but I don’t think either does any more. I actually think the Edmonton game has turned Backlund’s game around - he had a job and that gave him focus.

[Mr.Coffee]

Love Backlund and think the criticisms this season have been wildly overstated. Smart player who plays responsible yet still can generate offence. Smooth hands and still a strong skater. Willing to hit / muck it up if need be. Makes the Flames much better than not.

[cral12]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

Nice to see Lucic doing well with Backlund but Tkachuk really needs to be back on that line. He still looks lost a bit with Lindholm. But then who goes with Lindholm....

Was dropping to to say that it may have been underestimated just how much Tkachuk benefitted from being on Backlund's flank...
***
I'm a bigtime Backs backer - I still remember being super excited when Flames drafted him - he was the one guy I hoped the Flames landed that year - one of the few times (before recent yrs) when our team actually drafted players I coveted.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by cral12

Was dropping to to say that it may have been underestimated just how much Tkachuk benefitted from being on Backlund's flank...
***
I'm a bigtime Backs backer - I still remember being super excited when Flames drafted him - he was the one guy I hoped the Flames landed that year - one of the few times (before recent yrs) when our team actually drafted players I coveted.

Okay, but he is now on Lindholm's flank. I can't see how that is a trade down.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Okay, but he is now on Lindholm's flank. I can't see how that is a trade down.

This is true. But I think what this season has helped to demonstrate is that Backlund's offense is not just a product of Matthew Tkachuk. I seem to recall a few posters insisting that Backlund was a plugger who generated inflated scoring totals because of Tkachuk; those same posters were also convinced that poor Tkachuk was being neutered by having to drag Bscklund's corpse all over the ice.

The truth is that they are both great players in their own rights.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[cral12]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Okay, but he is now on Lindholm's flank. I can't see how that is a trade down.

I hear ya. Definitely not saying it is.

Textcritic summed it up nicely.

And there will be better things to come from Lindholm-Tkachuk combo...

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by boogerz

He might have ended up even better if Sutter didn't play him with nothing but grinders for those first couple seasons and neuter his offensive ability

Sam is that you?

[Calgary4LIfe]

Mikael Backlund is a terrible player for Calgary.


Flames give him some scrubs as wingers that barely belong in the NHL, and Backlund proceeds to make them earn way larger contracts than they deserve.


Yeah, I am being facetious here just in case people's sarcasm detectors are off.


Backlund has been one of my favourites for years now.


He isn't a leach that feeds-off of players - he is one of the NHL's best 2-way centres, and has played incredibly tough minutes with so many D-zone starts against the NHL's best players, and he outscores them when they are on the ice together. He is a career + player, with having only one minus season out of the last 8 (and he is currently a -2, but I expect that to change soon).


He has ALWAYS helped his line-mates do better. I don't know about you guys, but I think Tkachuk looked a lot better next to Backlund. Let's see who had career years playing beside Backlund:


Bouma
Colborne
Bennett
Tkachuk
Frolik (second best season - just a point out from tying his best in 14 years)


I guess Mangiapane too, but people will say it is Tkachuk.


Backlund is also the best centre to help break rookies into the NHL.


IIRC, Neal had his best numbers next to Backlund too, didn't he?


I love Backlund, and I really believe he makes just as strong of a case as being the 'backbone' of this team as any other player in Calgary. He also seems to be a fantastic human being on top of it from all the stories that we occasionally hear about (like collecting food for the homeless and dropping it off after every game).


Yes, he has moments when he isn't producing and isn't playing well, and people start talking about the 'wheels falling off'. I predict he will be an effective NHL'er for the duration of the rest of his contract, and probably still be effective enough to earn another contact after this one (though of course will be more modest and shorter-termed).


He has been one of my absolute favourite Flames for years now.



Mangiapane has developed well in Calgary, and I do think that he was brought up through the organization well. He was placed next to Ryan who is a very good 2-way player with good habits. Then Mangiapane gets put on Backlund's wing, and continues to develop well.


I almost want Bennett to move back down onto Backlund's wing for the rest of the season, as I think Backlund basically 'fixes' players and gets them to be effective 2-way players.


Out of all the players on the Flames, I actually see him (or Giordano) as future NHL coaches. The way they think the game and understand systems is just at another level in my opinion, and part of the reason why both of them 'got it' and became great players.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I can’t find it, but think it may have been on a broadcast talking to Ryan Leslie

It was a couple of years ago. The gist was that Keith Tkachuk was very impressed with and complimentary of Backlund, recognized that Matthew had the benefit of playing with a great center

The early year criticisms after a compressed camp, no preseason games, and that early five day break were dumb. Nobody can be properly evaluated with respect to their actual abilities and potential based on a small sample size with unusual situations

Backlund is a top 6 centre and the Flames have the luxury of three really good centres right now

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by tkflames

My favourite Backlund clip is still the one where he is hiding his face trying not to laugh when playfair rips off his coat and goes berserk on the bench. If anyone has that clip it would make my week!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=21nBVuCMPuQ

[bzoo02]

Originally Posted by tkflames

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=21nBVuCMPuQ

#29 in Abbotsford's 2009-2010 season is Shawn Weller.

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by bzoo02

#29 in Abbotsford's 2009-2010 season is Shawn Weller.

How embarrassing! You are correct. Still a hilarious clip and Backlund was on that team.

...I have watched this clip like 5 times today...cracks me up every time!

[1qqaaz]

I take back my hesitations in this thread. The Flames clearly need Backlund, and I hope he isn't out long.

[GG51]

Yeah, It’s good on paper, only, so far.

You can put the best two forwards last season together, call it I
1st line, but have it acted as a top line? Is this team even have a 1st line right now?

Move Lindholm from right wing to center, effectively downgraded 13, 23 line to 2nd line, maybe 2-, with the rotation on right wing. Also effectively downgraded Tkachuk to 2nd line winger playing on 1st line, from a 1st line winger playing on 2nd line.

I think Tkachuk thrives on a checking line with Backlund, find opportunities from nothing. Put him on a 1st line playing organized offensive game, maybe it’s not his advantage. It should be Lindholm’s advantage.

Put 13, 23, 28 back, deep in heart you know that’s the 1st line flames can have. Put 11, 19, 93 back do the checking, they all like it.

Of course suddenly we don’t have so many centres anymore, at least don’t pull 93 from wing to 3rd line center, after he played some good hockey on the top line, it benefits not the 3rd line, nor the 2nd line, nothing.

Originally Posted by cral12

I hear ya. Definitely not saying it is.

Textcritic summed it up nicely.

And there will be better things to come from Lindholm-Tkachuk combo...

[Sandman]

Backs is one of my faves as well, and I agree with Calgary4Life in the fact he will still be a fine NHLer for the rest of his current contract, and into the next. He just keeps getting better with age, so that bodes well for his future.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by tkflames

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=21nBVuCMPuQ

Now, if Geoff Ward would just do this twice a game..

[powderjunkie]

Any news on the injury?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I take back my hesitations in this thread. The Flames clearly need Backlund, and I hope he isn't out long.

It's a shame within a few games of him playing better he gets hurt. The team is better when he's playing well.