2017/2018 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[CsInMyBlood]

I can't believe there are still Flames fans who don't seem to recognize how good or important Backlund is to this team.

What games are you people watching?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I can't believe there are still Flames fans who don't seem to recognize how good or important Backlund is to this team.

What games are you people watching?

The ones I have seen he's led them to a mediocre record and spot outside the playoffs. Maybe I missed the games and seasons where he's been superman and lifted this team to great heights and led them to numerous playoff victories. Not debating whether he's a good player but I think his worth to this team is massively overrated here.

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I can't believe there are still Flames fans who don't seem to recognize how good or important Backlund is to this team.

What games are you people watching?

Ideally we re-sign him to a sweet heart deal, and go deep in the playoffs this season and more to come.

Practically if a re-sign looks unlikely or cost prohibitive, and/or we are missing the playoffs and feel we stand a great chance of re-signing after renting - then you look at options.

None of that is dismissing his importance to our team.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The ones I have seen he's led them to a mediocre record and spot outside the playoffs. Maybe I missed the games and seasons where he's been superman and lifted this team to great heights and led them to numerous playoff victories. Not debating whether he's a good player but I think his worth to this team is massively overrated here.

In Jarome Iginla's 17 seasons here, the team made the playoffs 6 times, and made it out of the first round only once. Does that mean that Iginla was massively overrated too?

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by New Era

Losing Backlund for nothing would be worse.

I like Backlund but I rather lose him for nothing than re-sign him at 6x6.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Sandman

In Jarome Iginla's 17 seasons here, the team made the playoffs 6 times, and made it out of the first round only once. Does that mean that Iginla was massively overrated too?

Are we really putting Iggy and Backlund in the same comparison list?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Are we really putting Iggy and Backlund in the same comparison list?

No, but the implication was that playoffs and playoff success was the only barometer to measure a player's value and importance to their team. Hockey is still a team sport.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I can't believe there are still Flames fans who don't seem to recognize how good or important Backlund is to this team.

What games are you people watching?

He is good and somewhat important to the team, but you can't just give him big money on a long term contract.


This is feeling like the re-sign Iggy threads of yesteryear . Just because someone does not think he should get a blank check, does not mean they are not a fan of his game.

Remember how many posters were ready to give Iggy a blank check with term in his last year as a flame? Think about how that would have looked today if he was making huge bucks on our 4th line

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I can't believe there are still Flames fans who don't seem to recognize how good or important Backlund is to this team.

What games are you people watching?

It isn't so much as would we like to keep him, of course we would but it depends on term and salary. With the emergence of Jankowski the Flames have the ability to walk away from signing Backlund to a bad deal just for the sake of keeping him. Personally I don't want any more than 5 years and 5.5M/Yr at the highest end. If he is looking for longer term or more dollars I am all for dealing him to recoup a 1st if we are not looking like a SC threat come deadline which is most likely unless the team gets hot. If we get hot then you continue to negotiate but if you have to let him walk that is better than signing him to too much term or dollars.

[Love]

If Backlund gets traded because we can’t afford him with guys like Brouwer, Stajan, Stone, Jagr and Versteeg clogging up our cap I’d be irate.

You get rid of more expendable guys like Frolik, Brodie and Hamonic before you’d think about dealing Backlund also

[AC]

Jagr and Versteeg clogging up our cap? They are both signed for this year only and at a combined $2.75M.

Stajan also is in the last year of his contract.

[colbym72]

Originally Posted by Love

If Backlund gets traded because we can’t afford him with guys like Brouwer, Stajan, Stone, Jagr and Versteeg clogging up our cap I’d be irate.

You get rid of more expendable guys like Frolik, Brodie and Hamonic before you’d think about dealing Backlund also

Stajan, Versteeg and Jagr are gone next year and the cap is going up $5 million probably so the opportunity to sign him will be there if they want

[Vinny01]

I posted a thread in the summer about trading Backlund. My take was Jankowski and Bennett fit the age range for this team better and are more valuable to keep. Bennett has not had success at Centre so that is not as appealing.

6x6 could make it hard to keep younger players down the line. I am not overly interested in the Flames signing guys to big money deals primarily in their 30’s until it comes time to give Monahan and Gaudreau new deals.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Sandman

No, but the implication was that playoffs and playoff success was the only barometer to measure a player's value and importance to their team. Hockey is still a team sport.

Ok, how many all-star games has Backlund played in? Rocket Richard trophy's? League MVP awards? Other than last year being considered for the Selke what has Backlund done? He's good, I like him but he's a piece on an underachieving team, not elite like Iggy was.

It seems like teams always pay more for guys who out the puck in the net, not help keep it out.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The ones I have seen he's led them to a mediocre record and spot outside the playoffs. Maybe I missed the games and seasons where he's been superman and lifted this team to great heights and led them to numerous playoff victories. Not debating whether he's a good player but I think his worth to this team is massively overrated here.

Why is Backlund to blame for poor management decisions?

[flamesfever]

nm

[GioforPM]

Backlund is a great player who makes his linemates better, has great possession numbers and plays a critical role. The one good thing is that he's still relatively under the radar so his marquee value is lower, and maybe his salary expectations.

The big question for agent/GM considerations is who his comparables are. Most of the guys usually mentioned are just a bit better offensively.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Ok, how many all-star games has Backlund played in? Rocket Richard trophy's? League MVP awards? Other than last year being considered for the Selke what has Backlund done? He's good, I like him but he's a piece on an underachieving team, not elite like Iggy was.

It seems like teams always pay more for guys who out the puck in the net, not help keep it out.

Again you misunderstood or misread my post. I am not comparing Backlund to Iggy for God's sake, I was saying that making the playoffs and winning in the playoffs isn't the only way to measure a player's value-that is skewed by the team the player is on. That is why I used Iggy's playoff record as a comparison.

P.S, see AshasX last post.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

How far can this team really step back as they are a bubble team currently outside of the playoffs? I certainly don't think they fall back to Buffalo, Arizona, Florida bad without him so I personally don't see much of a step backward. Is the team good enough with him as their 2nd line center? I would say no and apparently you do as well as you don't think they will make the playoffs so why would you want to pay him more money? He's not getting better and will likely decline in a year or two. Simply doesn't make a lot of sense to me and I'm just happy that draft pick was salvaged into a useful player for the past three seasons and if you can get another 1st round pick for him I say you take it and move on. Any team that signs him for a 6 x $6 is going to have pretty disappointed fans when they they see what that money is getting them for offensive production.

I see him as being good enough to be our 2nd line centre for a year or two, until Jankowski or perhaps Bennett replace him, dropping him to our 3rd line centre. No one player can, or is expected, to carry a team to the playoffs.

He has improved almost continuously since drafting him in the first round. The risk that his production will drop off is there for all players at 29 or 30 years of age. He has always seemed to me to be the type to give his all every game, not only in point production, in which he was one of our most reliable last year, but especially in his defensive capability. I think losing his defensive skills alone would seriously diminish the team.

Many seem to assume it would take 6 x $6 to sign him. At present he is making about $3.6, and who is to say he wouldn't take 4 x $4. I definitely think he has earned a raise. What scares me is the GMs experience with Brouwer prevents him from giving him what he is worth.

Hopefully he is signed before the deadline, or the negotiation is close enough at that point to rule out trading him.

[Tinordi]

Backlund's only getting worse from here on out. His prime is sunsetting. So the question is how much do you want to overpay him? If we're paying Backlund $6 million when he's 36 years old then you walk away and trade him.

It's harsh but it's reality. You only keep him if it's at $5 million for 5. Even then it's a huge stretch. He will not be a top six player by the end of the contract. Tough spot for the Flames. Made more difficult by terrible signings like Brouwer.