Speculation: Armchair GM Thread: I can't believe it's not butter, I can't believe we didn't get Ryan Hartman.

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Sparky93

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Dec 30, 2010
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What? In what way is your entirely subjective and unsupported posit regarding who is more responsible for offence creation "undeniable?"

Even if I didn't watch Flames hockey, I'd look at all the facts and have a lot of doubt with regards to this statement because of the fact that it would be out of character for the player. Even if I didn't watch Flames hockey I'd tell you that when Tkachuk got to play on Backlund's line, he would be privileged to have that opportunity, and that it would help a player like that look really good.
Sorry Anglesmith, I disagree, Backlund hasn’t been great this year, at either end of the ice. There’s been one impressive guy on the second line this year, that stands out every game and his name isn’t Backlund.
 

BigRangy

Get well soon oliver
Mar 17, 2015
3,407
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The difference in Backlund's results this year is almost entirely due to shooting % and PP success.

The question is, is this season what he really is, or was last season?

Knowing the Flames, this is probably what we can expect going forward. 6% shooting at 5v5 and 11 pp points vs 9% shooting at 5v5 and 16 pp points.

That's a 10 point difference over a season.

Edit: good sign maybe, Backlund is rocking a 0.959 PDO this year which is incredibly low for a skilled forward

in fact, all of 3M is within the bottom 36 forwards in PDO this year. The style they play definitely contributes to their being unlucky but last season they were all around 0.99 so that suggests that improvement is probable
 
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SmellOfVictory

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Jun 3, 2011
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The difference in Backlund's results this year is almost entirely due to shooting % and PP success.

The question is, is this season what he really is, or was last season?

Knowing the Flames, this is probably what we can expect going forward. 6% shooting at 5v5 and 11 pp points vs 9% shooting at 5v5 and 16 pp points.

That's a 10 point difference over a season.
Given his career numbers, I'd expect something in the middle. Last season was probably a career year, but he should still be producing better than he did this season.
 

Anglesmith

Setting up the play?
Sep 17, 2012
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Sorry Anglesmith, I disagree, Backlund hasn’t been great this year, at either end of the ice. There’s been one impressive guy on the second line this year, that stands out every game and his name isn’t Backlund.

It's fine to disagree, but Backlund generally does stand out every game. Disagreeing with me and saying "my opinion is undeniable" are two different things. I can't be the only one not taking for granted how good he is at his job (in fact I know I'm not). Backlund pretty much wins a battle on every shift, and does something impressive every period. There are different aspects of the game. Tkachuk is very noticeable down low and around the net, which is great and necessary for that line to generate offence. Backlund does a whole host of things on the breakout and in the neutral zone that facilitate that line getting the puck into the areas where Tkachuk can be effective. The Flames have universally acknowledged in multiple interviews this year that Backlund is their best two-way player, bar none.
 

DFF

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Feb 28, 2002
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Some people are just happy with backlund for doing his job

If you were looking for him to make a difference offensively, you were disappointed
 

Sparky93

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Dec 30, 2010
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It's fine to disagree, but Backlund generally does stand out every game. Disagreeing with me and saying "my opinion is undeniable" are two different things. I can't be the only one not taking for granted how good he is at his job (in fact I know I'm not). Backlund pretty much wins a battle on every shift, and does something impressive every period. There are different aspects of the game. Tkachuk is very noticeable down low and around the net, which is great and necessary for that line to generate offence. Backlund does a whole host of things on the breakout and in the neutral zone that facilitate that line getting the puck into the areas where Tkachuk can be effective. The Flames have universally acknowledged in multiple interviews this year that Backlund is their best two-way player, bar none.
Well the eye test and the states say he was significantly worse than last year, while Tkachuk continues to improve regardless, so I don’t really know what to say....
 

Flameshomer

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Aug 26, 2010
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The problem is still that Backlund is the best 3rd line centre in the league, but a weak second line centre. We needed Janko or Bennett to step up and drive a line, but neither was capable of doing so.

The team is strong if Backlund centres the third line, and weak if he's in our top-6. No slight to him.

I'm hoping Tre can snag someone like ROR. Jankowski+a defensive prospect. Maybe they want to make a finnish super pairing and we can figure out what to add to Jankowski+Valimaki for ROR+Reinhart.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Bennett-ROR-Tkachuk
(Reinhart, signee, or prospect like mangi) - Backlund- Frolik
Lazar-Shore-Brouwer

Much stronger lineup. We essentially add a whole second line.
 
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Ace Rimmer

Stoke me a clipper.
To take away from the ongoing discussion of "fire everyone, trade everyone else"...

When is it time to take letters off the front of the sweaters? I'd suggest that the on-ice leadership from the players themselves is lacking just as much as off-ice.

I have no idea who would be replacements - just a thought I had on the commute to work this morning.
 
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Janks

Pope Janks
Jan 7, 2010
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To take away from the ongoing discussion of "fire everyone, trade everyone else"...

When is it time to take letters off the front of the sweaters? I'd suggest that the on-ice leadership from the players themselves is lacking just as much as off-ice.

I have no idea who would be replacements - just a thought I had on the commute to work this morning.
You’d have to think that Brouwer is stripped this year for Tkachuk. I don’t mind money as an A, but I feel like our team needs more vocal people wearing letters (or more people who actually give a f***).
 

Flameshomer

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How inspiring is a dude who can barely put together his game on the 4th line despite being one of the highest paid forwards, and who clearly has signed his "retirement contract". Brouwer has been dreaming of the links all season.
 

Flameshomer

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Aug 26, 2010
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If we had been able to grab Eric Staal in free agency we would be in the playoffs. That move has kept the wild relevant the last few years.

Total hindsight is 50/50 case, but that would have been perfect for us.
 

Mobiandi

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Jan 17, 2015
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Calgary 2-4 Minnesota
Calgary 3-5 Vancouver
Calgary 4-6 Dallas
Calgary 1-2 Winnipeg
Calgary 1-2 Buffalo
Calgary 1-2 LA
Calgary 3-4 Edmonton
Calgary 2-4 Vegas
Calgary 4-7 Tampa Bay
Calgary 3-4 NYR
Calgary 3-4 Pittsburgh
Calgary 4-7 San Jose

These are all games that we threw away due to a lack of finish and focus despite controlling the play for a large portion of the game. Obviously over the course of an 82 game season, any team will have a number of games like these but ours seem extremely high. If even 3 of those went our way, we'd be in a playoff spot. It's why we shouldn't dismantle the roster and start trading away core pieces, but rather look for someone that can get this team over the finish line and grab the 2 points in games like these more often than not.
 

Kahvi

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Jun 4, 2007
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Calgary 2-4 Minnesota
Calgary 3-5 Vancouver
Calgary 4-6 Dallas
Calgary 1-2 Winnipeg
Calgary 1-2 Buffalo
Calgary 1-2 LA
Calgary 3-4 Edmonton
Calgary 2-4 Vegas
Calgary 4-7 Tampa Bay
Calgary 3-4 NYR
Calgary 3-4 Pittsburgh
Calgary 4-7 San Jose

These are all games that we threw away due to a lack of finish and focus despite controlling the play for a large portion of the game. Obviously over the course of an 82 game season, any team will have a number of games like these but ours seem extremely high. If even 3 of those went our way, we'd be in a playoff spot. It's why we shouldn't dismantle the roster and start trading away core pieces, but rather look for someone that can get this team over the finish line and grab the 2 points in games like these more often than not.

I watched the LV broadcacst last game, and they said Flames are top3 (or top5, can't remember) in how many times they've given up multiple goals within 2 minute period. Familiar problem for anyone who's watched any games this season, but I have no idea what's causing it and how to fix it.
 
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Dack

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Jun 16, 2014
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The problem is still that Backlund is the best 3rd line centre in the league, but a weak second line centre. We needed Janko or Bennett to step up and drive a line, but neither was capable of doing so.

The team is strong if Backlund centres the third line, and weak if he's in our top-6. No slight to him.

I'm hoping Tre can snag someone like ROR. Jankowski+a defensive prospect. Maybe they want to make a finnish super pairing and we can figure out what to add to Jankowski+Valimaki for ROR+Reinhart.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Bennett-ROR-Tkachuk
(Reinhart, signee, or prospect like mangi) - Backlund- Frolik
Lazar-Shore-Brouwer

Much stronger lineup. We essentially add a whole second line.
I think Backlund is a fine 2c. He's great defensively and capable of about 50 points maybe ideally you play him as 3C.

The Sabres are never going to agree to that because it's awful.

At this point though the only players whom I would be upset trading going forward are Tkachuk and Gaudreau. Not to say I don't value some of the others (Very highly in fact) but I don't see the point in keeping together an extremely mediocre team and our two top LWs are really the main reason (other than Smith) that we aren't bottom 10.
 

The Gnome

Registered User
May 17, 2010
4,678
740
Calgary
I think Backlund is a fine 2c. He's great defensively and capable of about 50 points maybe ideally you play him as 3C.

The Sabres are never going to agree to that because it's awful.

At this point though the only players whom I would be upset trading going forward are Tkachuk and Gaudreau. Not to say I don't value some of the others (Very highly in fact) but I don't see the point in keeping together an extremely mediocre team and our two top LWs are really the main reason (other than Smith) that we aren't bottom 10.

Let's be honest, any success we've had this year starts and ends with Smith. As I keep saying, it's not our roster though, it's our coach. I know that is always an easy scapegoat for fans, but I don't even have enough fingers to count the number of times GG has lost us a game due to horrible deployment decisions.
 
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