[Rumour] Flames will name captain this season

[Jiri Hrdina]

We actually did one https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showth...hlight=Captain

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Interesting. Watching the RedWings in the 90s and 00's, you very clearly knew the leadership of that team was, and which players everyone followed. Same with the Avs, Pens... Hawks, Kings... in fact, I would argue that on every championsip caliber team you can pinpoint who's leading, who's following and who isn't following.

With floundering teams like Calgary, I can pinpoint who should be leading, who is trying to lead, who is following the right leaders, who is following the wrong ones and who isn't following anyone.

We may not know what's going on in the room, but we can see what's going on on the ice and hear what they're saying in the media.

I'm actually curious to see your list of which player goes in which camp for the 20-21 season. I'm just wondering if I'm of a similar opinion, and think it can be a fun discussion.

[FranksandBean]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

No, he is a regressing overpaid 3rd line C we should be trying to shed. Also, what exactly have the Flames accomplished since Backlund joined the team? He is part of a losing culture, why on Earth would you make him Captain? I mean yes, it would be such a Flames thing to do but I would rather we move away from that direction of mediocrity.

I would like you to point out how you think he is or has regressed over the last few years? Or is it you think he will regress going forward? As far as i can tell he has done nothing but work hard and get better every year he has been in the league but maybe i am missing something. If you think he is an overpaid 3rd liner that is fine but then look back over the last 10-15 years and tell me what non ELC 3rd line center on cup winning teams made? Losing culture, please define and i am sure I can find a HOF’r who fits that description before he won.

With all that said he may be exactly what you describe or he may not but without elaborating on what you mean by your statements they are just that (buzz words). I for one think we could do much worse than Backlund, also for those saying Tkachuk look no farther then Boston. He may be their best player and no he is not their captain as he is not captain material. Tkachuck is a great player and one who 32 teams would kill to have but few teams would make him their captain.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Parallex

7: Plays a mean sax

This was brought up, and I didn't get an answer. Does Backlund actually play the saxophone?

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[Knightslayer]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

This was brought up, and I didn't get an answer. Does Backlund actually play the saxophone?

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Yes he does. A while back there was a photo of him in a Hawaiian shirt playing the Sax.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Knightslayer

Yes he does. A while back there was a photo of him in a Hawaiian shirt playing the Sax.

Which I turned into this for some reason:

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by FranksandBean

I would like you to point out how you think he is or has regressed over the last few years? Or is it you think he will regress going forward? As far as i can tell he has done nothing but work hard and get better every year he has been in the league but maybe i am missing something. If you think he is an overpaid 3rd liner that is fine but then look back over the last 10-15 years and tell me what non ELC 3rd line center on cup winning teams made? Losing culture, please define and i am sure I can find a HOF’r who fits that description before he won.

With all that said he may be exactly what you describe or he may not but without elaborating on what you mean by your statements they are just that (buzz words). I for one think we could do much worse than Backlund, also for those saying Tkachuk look no farther then Boston. He may be their best player and no he is not their captain as he is not captain material. Tkachuck is a great player and one who 32 teams would kill to have but few teams would make him their captain.

If you think he has gotten better every year there is no point in this discussion. He has not remotely been the same player since the Avalanche series and is getting worse.

[blender]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

If you think he has gotten better every year there is no point in this discussion. He has not remotely been the same player since the Avalanche series and is getting worse.

If you don't agree with dissentowner there is no point discussing.

Classic.

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

If you think he has gotten better every year there is no point in this discussion. He has not remotely been the same player since the Avalanche series and is getting worse.

By what metrics is he getting worse?

Offensively? I mean he was saddled with Lucic and Nordstrom last season yet still put up 32 points in 54 games. That's a 49 point pace in 82 games. That would have been his second best season to date.

Defensively? According to Evolving-Hockey, Backlund posted the fourth-highest defensive expected goals above replacement figure on the Flames in 2020–21. He amassed 2.8 defensive xGAR in 54 games, only placing behind Chris Tanev, Mark Giordano, and Derek Ryan on the Flames.

48 takeaways which was good for 7th in the NHL and 4th among centers.

Dig up some advanced stats if you choose. Which I know you wont because it will also totally refute your claims.

I could keep going but what's the point?

Again if you're going to keep bashing the player saying hes no good and getting worse please post some proof or just stop. It's annoying.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by blender

If you don't agree with dissentowner there is no point discussing.

Classic.

Or I don't want clog up the thread with pointless back and forth. You keep stirring that pot with your fly by posts though.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

By what metrics is he getting worse?

Offensively? I mean he was saddled with Lucic and Nordstrom last season yet still put up 32 points in 54 games. That's a 49 point pace in 82 games. That would have been his second best season to date.

Defensively? According to Evolving-Hockey, Backlund posted the fourth-highest defensive expected goals above replacement figure on the Flames in 2020–21. He amassed 2.8 defensive xGAR in 54 games, only placing behind Chris Tanev, Mark Giordano, and Derek Ryan on the Flames.

48 takeaways which was good for 7th in the NHL and 4th among centers.

Dig up some advanced stats if you choose. Which I know you wont because it will also totally refute your claims.

I could keep going but what's the point?

Again if you're going to keep bashing the player saying hes no good and getting worse please post some proof or just stop. It's annoying.

Advanced stats are nice tools but really prove nothing.What were the advanced stats on Backlund against the Avs in the playoffs when he was our worst player? What were the advanced stats for other clearly better two way C's like Barkov and Bergeron?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Advanced stats are nice tools but really prove nothing.What were the advanced stats on Backlund against the Avs in the playoffs when he was our worst player? What were the advanced stats for other clearly better two way C's like Barkov and Bergeron?

Man, move on. One of the best players in the world owned us… years ago.

[bdubbs]

If every player had to live up to 'like Barkov and Bergeron' they'd be total failures too. Backlund is solid.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Man, move on. One of the best players in the world owned us… years ago.

A few years ago. Backlund is a streaky player, sometimes he looks like a 1st line C who is good defensively, sometimes he looks like a depth guy who would have trouble making an NHL roster, just terrible. If you don't like my take on Backlund there is this cool thing called ignore, use it.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

If every player had to live up to 'like Barkov and Bergeron' they'd be total failures too. Backlund is solid.

Sometimes. Like half a season. Sometimes he is even great. Other times he is ridiculously bad.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

A few years ago. Backlund is a streaky player, sometimes he looks like a 1st line C who is good defensively, sometimes he looks like a depth guy who would have trouble making an NHL roster, just terrible. If you don't like my take on Backlund there is this cool thing called ignore, use it.

Pass thanks, I like reading different takes. The problem is you aren’t answering anyone’s questions. You claim he’s regressing, but only reference the Avs series, repeatedly. Then say advanced stats are meaningless, but ask what were his advanced stats in the Avs series? What are the advanced stats of the best centres in the league?

If you have something tangible to state about Backlund, lay it out there. If not, then it all just sounds like typical fandom not liking a player. Which is fine, but it doesn’t mean he plays below replacement level. Just means you aren’t a fan.

That’s fine, I never liked Perry. But he was undeniably good at what he does.

[dissentowner]

I like Backlund, I would love Backlund if he could play a whole season the way he plays half of it. I just think he is overpaid for a guy who spends half the season playing bad hockey.

[Hot_Flatus]

How do you not go with Sean Monahan? Heart and soul player, leading by example, does everything it takes to win, often carrying the team on his back.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by blender

Something is not adding up here. How can you be hoping they bottom out, and cheering for them and enjoying it?

I'd say the OP realizes how crummy the current iteration of the Flames has been for most of the last 6-7 years, and despite wanting them to rebuild, is still willing to cheer them on.

Being pro-rebuild while continuing to cheer for the team are not mutually exclusive to one another.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Advanced stats are nice tools but really prove nothing.What were the advanced stats on Backlund against the Avs in the playoffs when he was our worst player? What were the advanced stats for other clearly better two way C's like Barkov and Bergeron?

Clearly Backlund wasn't great in the Avs series, and he has a lot of company in that regard. But you said he's gotten worse since. I don't think he's improved overall a whole lot, but I don't see regression either, and the numbers don't show it. So leaving that series aside, on what do you base your argument?