Which of these Backlund Extensions would you prefer?

[---Hatrick---]

Im torn on this one. I'm afraid the Backs is gonna be looking for a big pay day, and rightfully so. Treliving will refuse to pay him what he probably should be getting and he will price him self off the team. He's on a very friendly deal right now and at the stage in his career, this is his best opportunity to cash in.

What I'm hoping is that he will see that the Flames are on their way to becoming a contender and that being a Flame for life is important to him and will take another friendly discount. Also, Treliving is a fricken wizard so there is some hope!

[s_procee]

would the 3rd option not be the best? in 8 years that is good value

[JFK]

lol s_procee trying to get that post count up to sell some tickets.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

I guess you could call him a career 40 point guy, if you ignore the icetime, lack of PP minutes, slug linemates and games played for the first part of his career.

Sorry but injuries are another reason you have to be careful with him.

The last two years are the first years that he has played a full season. He put up 47 and 53 points despite getting the majority of his starts in the D zone and playing against the top lines on other teams.

Exactly. Being the sample size we have with him, they are the outliers.

Just imagine the points he could put up with Gaudreau on his line and the O zone starts the first line gets. I think he is an above average offensive player, he is just so elite defensively he gets used in that role, yet still puts up decent production.

Imagine what he could do with Kane on his line, or Ovechkin, or etc etc. It's irrelevant and what he "might" do with other linemates has nothing to do with what you pay him now.

Backlund is a rare breed in the NHL, the kind of guy who does EVERYTHING. Plays center, PP, PK, plays against the top lines every night, takes all the defensive draws. Guys like this are what every team wants. You need a guy like this to win. I have all the faith in Treliving knowing this team needs Backlund.

6X6 sounds about right to me. We shall see.

Dude you are coming across like he is the best C in the game....he isnt.
I agree he does everything well, but he is best used in a defensive first role as we have seen. His age, injury history and his only real success in the last 2 years are all big factors in what you pay him and for how long. 6X6 IMO would be a major risk.

[ricardodw]

If the Flames are going to win a SC they need 2 pretty close to elite centres.

Crosby Malkin, Kopitar /Mike Richards and them Kopitar Carter, Toews is the exception his #2C were Brad Richards and Sharp and Handuz.

The thing about all these guys is that most of them had their career year points wise before they were 23 ... they all were over .9 ppg .... ie Monhan needs to get his ppg year in soon.

The Flames top 2 centres on a SC winner are most likely going to be Bennett and Monahan....

Backlund would be a solid #3C on a SC team... he needs to get paid whatever the going rate for a #3C

[DJones]

Why on Earth would Backlund agree to a 3C contrat?

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by DJones

Why on Earth would Backlund agree to a 3C contrat?

Presumably because his only motivation is helping the Flames.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

If the Flames are going to win a SC they need 2 pretty close to elite centres.

Crosby Malkin, Kopitar /Mike Richards and them Kopitar Carter, Toews is the exception his #2C were Brad Richards and Sharp and Handuz.

The thing about all these guys is that most of them had their career year points wise before they were 23 ... they all were over .9 ppg .... ie Monhan needs to get his ppg year in soon.

The Flames top 2 centres on a SC winner are most likely going to be Bennett and Monahan....

Backlund would be a solid #3C on a SC team... he needs to get paid whatever the going rate for a #3C

There might be two much focus on 2C vs 3C with Backs. I heard an announcer recently say he was talking with Barry Trotz and his view is that for a successful NHL forward group today you need to look at your forward group as a group of nine (ie 3 lines) that carry the bulk of the play plus a 4th line (energy type line) to chip in.

So for the Flames this would suggest that the three centres to carry these three main lines are Mony, Backs and Sam - and trying to say your 2C is x% more valuable than your 3C may not be that productive or valuable. The fact is the Flames need to extend Backs and I have no doubt that Treliving will do so under terms that most here will be happy with.

[pepper24]

The big question is does Bennett pan out as a center or a winger. If this year he really develops at center you have Monahan and Bennett that should grow into your top 2 centers. Jankowski would be your 3rd line center. Stajan, AHL scrub etc. on your 4th line.

Where does that leave Backlund? Do you move Bennett to the wing to accommodate Backlund? Do you trade Backlund or Bennett.....who becomes expendable and has better value?

Bennett's slower than planned development compared to other Flames youngsters (Monahan, Tkhachuk) complicates this IMO. Bennett's play this season especially early will determine Backlund's term and value.

[Backlunds_socks]

4x$5 book it here.

Flames fan over value their players, look at Bennet we had people claiming he'd get 4-5 per.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Backlund would easily get 6m x 7 years in the UFA market. I am hoping he signs with us as a 5x5.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Backlunds_socks

4x$5 book it here.

Flames fan over value their players, look at Bennet we had people claiming he'd get 4-5 per.

Bennett getting 4-5 a year was people hoping to sign him long term and buy UFA years.

I would love the Backlund contract you suggest though

[dissentowner]

It really depends on not only Bennett but how far Jankowski comes as well. If Bennett breaks out at C this year and Jankowski has a solid rookie showing I really think the best option is to trade him in a package to get that #1 RW.

[bubbsy]

Love backlund, but in my ideal world, by mid-year he's made redundant, and flames re-purpose those cap $ to a 1st line RW...

[Fire]

I'm starting to think the Flames need to wait until mid-season before re-signing Backlund unless he's willing to sign a really good deal. If Bennett and Jankowski prove they are capable centers for the first half of this season then it doesn't really make sense to re-sign Backlund. You can't have Jankowski and Bennett on the 3rd and 4th lines for the next 4 years. Use that money on a RWer.

Next season without Backlund:

Gaudreau Monahan Ferland
Tkachuk Bennett UFA
Dube/Klimchuk/Mangiapane Jankowski Frolik
Hathaway Lazar Foo/Brouwer

If they do keep Backlund then they pretty much need to move Bennett to the wing. I think he fits better on the wing than Jankowski.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

To take this a little further...

Over the last 2 seasons, he has 100 points. That ties him for 67th in the league (among forwards) with Duchene, Galchenyuk, Williams and Niederreiter, and ahead of such people as Eberle, Pastrnak, Parise, Marleau, Toffoli and Horvat.

To call him an average offensive player is beyond laughable.

Obviously the guy looks great when you use his two best statistical seasons as your markers...

Let's look at his last 3 seasons isntead of his last 2.

139th in the league in points over that time frame, behind guys like Anders Lee, Vince Trochek, Kevin Hayes, Adam Henrique, Jussi Jokinen and Jarome Iginla.

I like Backlund just fine, but he's been outscored by Dougie Hamilton, a defender, over the last 3 years.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Obviously the guy looks great when you use his two best statistical seasons as your markers...

Let's look at his last 3 seasons isntead of his last 2.

139th in the league in points over that time frame, behind guys like Anders Lee, Vince Trochek, Kevin Hayes, Adam Henrique, Jussi Jokinen and Jarome Iginla.

I like Backlund just fine, but he's been outscored by Dougie Hamilton, a defender, over the last 3 years.

So we finally get the Backlund we've always wanted, only to let him go? That makes sense.

I hope he stays a Flame forever.

[pepper24]

At years end the Flames will have Stajan off the books and you'd think if Brouwer is stuck on 4th line he'd be a buyout candidate. They'll have some free money for a top 6 winger, Backlund etc.

Backlund to me though still depends on how Bennett and Jankowski develop this year. I'd be in no rush to re-sign Backlund yet.

[Har-Calgary]

If we could do number 3 at 6 or 7 years then for sure, but no chance that happens. Backlund is worth at least 5.5 I think. If Tre can work his wizardry to get 5Mx6 then that would be amazing. I'll be happy with 5.5Mx6 but wouldn't want to go as high as 6x6. Get it done Tre!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Backlund would easily get 6m x 7 years in the UFA market.

If he gets to free agency I will take that bet.