Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
First off, why do you always sound like an ass when replying to posts that you don't agree with? Just curious. I notice a handful of posters with a similar shtick as you, and for the life of me I just don't understand how someone can get so heated so quickly. Are you really here for discussion, or just to vent out your life's frustrations at random people online? Serious question. You seem to behave this way practically every single day. It amazes me.
As for Backlund - yes, he does play some incredibly hard minutes and usually shines. Have you looked them up? This year he has 65.1% defensive zone starts. Guess what Bergeron is at? The inverse of that - 34.9% (weirdly enough).
So what does that tell you?
Yeah, Backlund hasn't looked fantastic to start this season - and no, Backlund isn't as 'good' as Bergeron, but I argue he is better defensively while still being solid offensively. Every single year Backlund starts off slowly, and then becomes, well.. Superman. Bergeron produces as a #1 centre while being very good defensively, but he isn't utilized AS a defensive centre. That's a huge difference. My point is that Bergeron is lauded as the NHL's premier defensive centre, but that's not his role, and his utilization shows that. Now, can I say that Backlund is worth Bergeron? Absolutely not. But Backlund is a BETTER defensive centre who plays far tougher minutes and continually produces every season at a solid 2nd line centre rate - that's damn impressive and underappreciated. No, he isn't as good as Bergeron overall, you are right. Apples to oranges comparison in utilization.
As for what the board was saying about Backlund, maybe you should go back and read how there were many posts stating he was Calgary's best centre. What point are you trying to make here?
As for the series against the Avs, he was far from our worst player. He hit a goalpost, it comes back the other way and the Flames get scored on. IIRC, when he and Brodie were on the ice vs MacKinnon, MacKinnon was almost a non-factor. Take a look at the numbers for Hanifin - Hamonic when MacKinnon was on the ice. Can Backlund completely stop MacKinnon? No, but that's because MacKinnon is the best player in the NHL and the toughest player to contain. However, Backlund stops the bleeding. Take a look at how effective McDavid is when Backlund is on the ice, and compare that to when Backlund is not on the ice. Pay attention to specifically to that this weekend, and for games against the Oilers.
Yes, he didn't have a great series against Dallas, but he was hardly the worst player. However, most playoff series he is legitimately good - was against the Avs, Ducks, Canucks, Ducks, Winnipeg (if you count that as a playoff series - definitely playoff atmosphere), and so-so against Dallas.
He is a reliably defensively playing tough minutes, always scores at the rate of a 2nd line centre, and doesn't complain, even when he has a revolving door of wingers or is asked to play with rookies. Way too underappreciated in my books, especially since his tough minutes allows for other centres to have easier minutes.
As an aside to this conversation - Scott Laughton is getting absolutely buried - 86.1 dzs%, though it seems he is getting his head caved-in doing it. That's some murderous utilization.
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