Player Discussion Mikael Backlund

[SmellOfVictory]

So Backlund is equal to McDavid???? I'm too lazy to look it up and crunch the numbers but I'd be curious to see the difference between Backlund and Frolik with Bennett/Tkachuk, verses without them. Two years worth of data, Backlund and Frolik being the constant. One would think the rookies should drag down their numbers.

In terms of possession at even strength, yes. McDavid is obviously substantially better offensively, and Backlund is better defensively. The end result is actually somewhat close in terms of shot and goal differential.

As far as Tkachuk, he's actually done very well with Backlund; he's already a top 6 quality forward in the NHL, so he hasn't really done any dragging down. And Backlund/Frolik are good enough possession players that even weaker players like Colborne or Bennett (no offence to Bennett - we all know he has a lot of improving to do) don't drag them down a ton.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

In terms of possession at even strength, yes. McDavid is obviously substantially better offensively, and Backlund is better defensively. The end result is actually somewhat close in terms of shot and goal differential.

As far as Tkachuk, he's actually done very well with Backlund; he's already a top 6 quality forward in the NHL, so he hasn't really done any dragging down. And Backlund/Frolik are good enough possession players that even weaker players like Colborne or Bennett (no offence to Bennett - we all know he has a lot of improving to do) don't drag them down a ton.

The idea that Frolik is a huge play driver is a myth. I mean he's fine, but he's closer to a neutral possession player like young Bennett at wing, than he is to a play driving winger like Tkachuk. Frolik doesn't really pull anyone up, nor drag them down. It's all about his center.

 

[ps241]

The idea that Frolik is a huge play driver is a myth. I mean he's fine, but he's closer to a neutral possession player like young Bennett at wing, than he is to a play driving winger like Tkachuk. Frolik doesn't really pull anyone up, nor drag them down. It's all about his center.

Interesting Frolik use to be a really good possession player in Winnipeg and tended to always help his linemates? We very much miss him.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Interesting Frolik use to be a really good possession player in Winnipeg and tended to always help his linemates? We very much miss him.

He's been essentially the same here. He just is overshadowed by Backlund and now Tkachuk.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Interesting Frolik use to be a really good possession player in Winnipeg and tended to always help his linemates? We very much miss him.

Frolik is pretty good. I just think it is a myth that he was ever pulling up a guy like Backlund, Tkachuk, or Scheifele. Those guys pull themselves up.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Frolik is pretty good. I just think it is a myth that he was ever pulling up a guy like Backlund, Tkachuk, or Scheifele. Those guys pull themselves up.

I don't think anyone has ever said that. Frolik is a very good complimentary player and excels at maintaining possession but I don't think anyone's ever said he's pulling up Backlund.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I don't think anyone has ever said that. Frolik is a very good complimentary player and excels at maintaining possession but I don't think anyone's ever said he's pulling up Backlund.

I guess what I am saying, is that there are very few true "drivers" in the league especially at wing. There are active detriments sure, but wingers who can pull any center up are unicorns. Tkachuk is a unicorn whereas Frolik is a very good winger. Marchand is a unicorn, Lucic is a very good winger. Etc.

 

[ps241]

He's been essentially the same here. He just is overshadowed by Backlund and now Tkachuk.

Frolik is pretty good. I just think it is a myth that he was ever pulling up a guy like Backlund, Tkachuk, or Scheifele. Those guys pull themselves up.

Sounds like you have Fro with the right linemates. To be clear in Winnipeg if a young player was struggling it was always good to give them a stretch with Fro because he would tilt the ice and defend very well in all three zones and create the right environment for them to succeed in. He didn't have the pedigree of the guys he was helping out but they always seemed to thrive with him even though it wasn't always aesthetically pleasing. We are really missing that type of player on our team this season.

 

[Volica]

Sounds like you have Fro with the right linemates. To be clear in Winnipeg if a young player was struggling it was always good to give them a stretch with Fro because he would tilt the ice and defend very well in all three zones and create the right environment for them to succeed in. He didn't have the pedigree of the guys he was helping out but they always seemed to thrive with him even though it wasn't always aesthetically pleasing. We are really missing that type of player on our team this season.

No lie; Frolik has been the best Free Agent this team has acquired in a long time. I liked him more than Hudler even (simply because Hudler gave us one season great season, and three forgettable ones); Frolik just plays hard every shift of every game.

When he signed with us I was ridiculously happy. Still think that this contract pays for itself.

 

[The Gnome]

No lie; Frolik has been the best Free Agent this team has acquired in a long time. I liked him more than Hudler even (simply because Hudler gave us one season great season, and three forgettable ones); Frolik just plays hard every shift of every game.

When he signed with us I was ridiculously happy. Still think that this contract pays for itself.

So true. How many times have we looked back at a big FA signing and been happy with it. I have zero complaints with his AAV, he more than plays up to his price tag. Great signing!

 

[Mr Snrub]

No lie; Frolik has been the best Free Agent this team has acquired in a long time. I liked him more than Hudler even (simply because Hudler gave us one season great season, and three forgettable ones); Frolik just plays hard every shift of every game.

When he signed with us I was ridiculously happy. Still think that this contract pays for itself.

Guy who has

- won a cup
- plays great possession hockey
- scores 40pts a year
- is the perfect compliment to our best match-up centre

What's not to like? Fantastic signing.

 

[ps241]

No lie; Frolik has been the best Free Agent this team has acquired in a long time. I liked him more than Hudler even (simply because Hudler gave us one season great season, and three forgettable ones); Frolik just plays hard every shift of every game.

When he signed with us I was ridiculously happy. Still think that this contract pays for itself.

So true. How many times have we looked back at a big FA signing and been happy with it. I have zero complaints with his AAV, he more than plays up to his price tag. Great signing!

When we got him from Chicago I was happy because there were zero negative comments from the Hawks fans (unusual for outgoing talent). Some Hawks poster said he never took a shift off let alone a game off in Chicago so let us know if that happens in Winnipeg and it didn't. I think I posted the same thing to the Flames fans when you got him.....let me know when you feel like he mails it in on a shift or a game. Chevy ****ed up when he got cute in negotiations with Frolik but those are the breaks and now and then GM's overplay their hand. Enjoy the ride he may not be splashy but he is the exact kind of complementary asset you win with.

 

[The Gnome]

When we got him from Chicago I was happy because there were zero negative comments from the Hawks fans (unusual for outgoing talent). Some Hawks poster said he never took a shift off let alone a game off in Chicago so let us know if that happens in Winnipeg and it didn't. I think I posted the same thing to the Flames fans when you got him.....let me know when you feel like he mails it in on a shift or a game. Chevy ****ed up when he got cute in negotiations with Frolik but those are the breaks and now and then GM's overplay their hand. Enjoy the ride he may not be splashy but he is the exact kind of complementary asset you win with.

and that's pretty much it with him. You can literally bank on him to bring his game every single shift of every single game. Guy is as consistent of an NHLer as you'll find. Couldn't possibly ask for anything else.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

and that's pretty much it with him. You can literally bank on him to bring his game every single shift of every single game. Guy is as consistent of an NHLer as you'll find. Couldn't possibly ask for anything else.

He goes hard in the mother****ing paint

 

[Dertell]

he's closer to a neutral possession player like young Bennett at wing, than he is to a play driving winger like Tkachuk. Frolik doesn't really pull anyone up, nor drag them down. It's all about his center.

That is some insane hyperbole. For one, winger Bennett was atrocious, but it's more about Frolik himself.

All things considered. Even he was playing mostly with freaking Bolland under that top 6 his numbers were respectable (adjusted) and in his younger years with Florida they were great. He was pretty much the best or second possession player everywhere he went minus Chicago.

QoT isn't just not everything - it's impossible to make the best possession line in the league with one weak link. Tkachuk and Backlund drops 8% in Corsi without him. They didn't get to play with the right winger so bad you could still make the case Frolik's just average.

And Scheifele was meh in all but one season. After Frolik's became a flame.

 

[LUV Carti*]

That is some insane hyperbole

No this is some insane hyperbole

winger Bennett was atrocious

 

[Dertell]

No this is some insane hyperbole

you don't think 42 CF% or so w/o backlund (or 50/50 with backlund and frolic and zs) is an 'atrocious' possession player?

 

[Mr Snrub]

you don't think 42 CF% or so w/o backlund (or 50/50 with backlund and frolic and zs) is an 'atrocious' possession player?

That's not great, but let's be fair - the whole team was atrocious during that stretch, and Bennett was playing especially poorly, both at centre and wing.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

you don't think 42 CF% or so w/o backlund (or 50/50 with backlund and frolic and zs) is an 'atrocious' possession player?

Was that Bennett, or was that "anyone on Granlund's wings, ever"?

 

[Dertell]

Was that Bennett, or was that "anyone on Granlund's wings, ever"?

Granlund is bad but he was an adjusted 38.4% with Bennett, 43.8% without (at CGY). It's still a real drop.

I was wrong about him and Backlund being 50/50. They were 52.4%. Still Backlund was pretty much the same without him, meaning with Colborne and Bouma instead. Needless to explain what I'm getting at here.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Granlund is bad but he was an adjusted 38.4% with Bennett, 43.8% without (at CGY). It's still a real drop.

I was wrong about him and Backlund being 50/50. They were 52.4%. Still Backlund was pretty much the same without him, meaning with Colborne and Bouma instead. Needless to explain what I'm getting at here.

Last year Backlund was "the same" without Frolik, too though.

 

[Anglesmith]

Granlund is bad but he was an adjusted 38.4% with Bennett, 43.8% without (at CGY). It's still a real drop.

I was wrong about him and Backlund being 50/50. They were 52.4%. Still Backlund was pretty much the same without him, meaning with Colborne and Bouma instead. Needless to explain what I'm getting at here.

His without would be heavily affected by his time with Gaudreau and Hudler, methinks.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Watching Anthony Cook's Backlund highlights. At least half of them start as harmless looking puck battles in our end or the neutral zone that turn into grade A scoring chances for 3M up-ice.

What a beauty this guy is. 5x5 is more than fair.

 

[Mobiandi]

Watching Anthony Cook's Backlund highlights. At least half of them start as harmless looking puck battles in our end or the neutral zone that turn into grade A scoring chances for 3M up-ice.

That goal on the road in Pittsburgh where all 3 of them connected was just magic

 

[CraigsList]

Backlund is a keeper. He's one of those centers that changes the game defensively and offensively. He's come a long way, and I hope he stays a Flame for a long time. If we lose him in free agency, we become a worse team.