Vasteras unhappy with Backlund... could quit/be cut

[Metro Gnome]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Just to speak about Grantham - and by no means am I a fan of the pick - one of the few areas where I disagree with Sutter harshly is drafting goons - but everytime I have seen Grantham - he surprises me. For a tough guy - he's got a bit of game. Pretty good puck handler and capable making plays. Good hands in tight. Skating needs work.

But he surprised me both at the dev camp and then up in Camrose.

Still not a fan of the pick there but there may be something more there than just a pugilist.

Anything is possible, but I severely doubt it. The guy turns 20 in January and his 10 goals and 19 points were his career high in the WHL last year. This season he's on pace to increase that slightly - to about 25 points. That is really marginal production for an older player in Junior.

For context, that's slightly better than, say, Eric Godard in his Junior career, but below our current goon, Andre Roy, around the same age.

Unless he's capable of beating up the likes of Boogaard and Laraque, I can't fathom him coming close to the NHL given his current development arc.

[Iggyinla]

Here is a brief interview with Backlund from his team site.

http://translate.google.com/translat...istory_state0=

[toquester]

Originally Posted by Iggyinla

Here is a brief interview with Backlund from his team site.

http://translate.google.com/translat...istory_state0=

Sounds like they are playing musical chairs with the lines. Can you say "disgruntled"?

[jeremywilhelm]

Originally Posted by toquester

Sounds like they are playing musical chairs with the lines. Can you say "disgruntled"?

sounds like he is already ready to play under keenan.

[bubbsy]

watched the first half of the canada vs sweden wjc exhibition game yesterday. In the first, backlund was generating more offense than any other swede forward, and was very noticable.

However, it was also very noticable how he can float, especially in his own zone causing turnovers in his own zone.

i actually hope he comes over to kelowna (think they own his rights no?).

in any case, he's gotta get bigger, and more competitive before he's even close to being an nhl'er in my opinion.

[PIMking]

needs to come to the ahl.

[jschick88]

Satellite hotstove was just discussing that the flames are unhappy how Backlund is progressing in Sweden and want him to play the rest of the year with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL.

[jeremywilhelm]

Herald says today that Backlund will probably stay in Sweden.