Confirmed Signing with Link: [CGY] Flames re-sign Mikael Backlund [6 years/$5.35M AAV]

[Ctrain2k]

Because mediocrity keeps guys employed.

Better to sign Backlund and stay in the 7-10 range as you can sell making/fighting for the play-offs to an owner rather than take a risk that might have you be a contender but also might risk blowing up in your face.

Sports GM are the most conservative people around for the most part, hockey GM's especially.

Football GM's are definitely the most conservative

 

[mvp1977]

His defensive game is wildly overrated.

People will point to his finishing 4th in Selma voting but that was completely undeserved. People will say “Bergeron, Toews, Kopitar etc” but he isn’t even remotely close to any of them.

Not remotely close to any of them? It's obvious you do t watch any Flames games. He is better defensively than Toews and Kopitar and it's not even close

 

[mvp1977]

So do you think the Flames can sign Versteeg, Jankowski, and Rittich for under $10 M ...because that is what they are going to have to do. And someone to replace Stajan

Well Versteeg has hip issues so he may not even be around, and I would think Rittich and Janko can easily be has for under 10M. With the Flames having a great crop of goalies, Rittich may even be the odd man out.

 

[mvp1977]

They can sign all three for under 5 M but i think they will let Versteeg walk. Lazar can be the 4th line Centre.

Please no, let Lazar walk as soon as he is a free agent. Wouldn't trade a roll of white tape for that clown.

 

[crackdown44]

Not remotely close to any of them? It's obvious you do t watch any Flames games. He is better defensively than Toews and Kopitar and it's not even close

I’m a huge Backlund fan and that’s a ridiculous thing to say. Bergeron and Kopitar are 1 and 2 and Backlund is in the group of 4-5 guys below them. Both of you are way off, he’s somewhere in between. It isn’t “not even close” in either direction

 

[Yamazaki]

One thing I just realized with the flames losing money and future uncertain in Calgary I’m surprised someone would sign a long term deal with Calgary. It’s a solid deal, I think the aav could be slightly lower due to the term but solid deal, not a steal and not overly paid.

 

[crackdown44]

One thing I just realized with the flames losing money and future uncertain in Calgary I’m surprised someone would sign a long term deal with Calgary. It’s a solid deal, I think the aav could be slightly lower due to the term but solid deal, not a steal and not overly paid.

Even if the team was relocated (which it won’t be) the contract would still be honored by the new franchise (which won’t exist)

 

[Skobel24]

Even if the team was relocated (which it won’t be) the contract would still be honored by the new franchise (which won’t exist)

and the odds of relocation are pretty f***ing slim. Also, I haven't heard anything about the team losing money.

 

[Fig]

I am happy with this deal. Backlund is a very good defensive C and an important cog for this organization. He also has a great attitude and will be a good leader for years to come. Just don't put avocados into the fridge as it's a pet peeve of his (Christmas player special video).

The idea that some posters think he will be a 3C, I don't see it. I think he plays wing if we luck into a centre depth to push him that far. He at worst will be the new Frolik once Frolik's contract expires. I think at worst, he becomes a swing C with a young up and comer in the top 6. His style is a good one to emulate. It's a well rounded and reliable style. Backlund has played LW in international tournaments, so playing wing isn't a problem for him.

 

[AvsGuy]

People seem ecstatic with this deal. Is this market value now for a guy who tops out between 45-55 points?

 

[96]

Not remotely close to any of them? It's obvious you do t watch any Flames games. He is better defensively than Toews and Kopitar and it's not even close

A poor mans Nazem Kadri clearly has you very excited because this is complete and utter nonsense.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

A poor mans Nazem Kadri clearly has you very excited because this is complete and utter nonsense.

He’s a poor mans nothing to Kadri, wow.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Can a Flames fan please enlighten me why you are so thrilled with this contract?

Offensively he's certainly not worth the money and term. I mean Bozak's numbers look better than his in the last few years.

I know he's better defensively but 5M+ for 6 years? I can see that being a fair contract at best, certainly not a steal.

Are you seriously using Bozak as a comparison ?

You're really funny...

 

[DropIt]

What do you mean?

I think that with Backlund this team is not a contender, I think that without Backlund this team is not a contender. Whether we have Backlund or not we look like a team stuck in the mushy middle.

The logic is that Backlund on the team does not change the fact that we are not a contender, don't have the pieces coming up that are likely to make us a contender and likely don't have the assets to become a contender through trades/FA.

Without Backlund the Flames are further from being a contender though. There is nobody on this team that can replace the workload that Backlund does if he were to leave, so why set yourself back further and waste the years of the players you have just to acquire draft picks?

 

[DropIt]

A poor mans Nazem Kadri clearly has you very excited because this is complete and utter nonsense.

Lol. How is he a poor man's Kadri? They aren't comparable. Kadri isn't nearly as good defensively and Backlund isn't as good offensively

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Lol. How is he a poor man's Kadri? They aren't comparable. Kadri isn't nearly as good defensively and Backlund isn't as good offensively

Kadri has a great contract too with RFA years. Backlund is UFA. Horrible comparison.

 

[Reinhart]

Fantastic deal IMO.

Why is this a bargain for a player that hits around 50 points a season?

1) Proven track record of making players beside him better. Bouma got a nice raise (and his highest goal totals in his entire career, probably all the way down to midget). Colborne got a hefty increase playing next to Backlund. Tkachuk is good, and that relationship seems to be symbiotic there, but I argue that playing next to Backlund was a perfect way to enter the NHL. Bennett has looked impressive with Backlund. The list goes on... He makes players around him better.

2) Look at those defensive starts. Look at that quality of competition. Compare that around the NHL, and let me know who in the world gets that buried but still produces at anything close to that level.

3) From point two, he gets the heavy defensive zone starts. That makes it a lot easier for Monahan's and Jankowski's line to go out there and generate some offence. Those two other lines really are huge beneficiaries of having Backlund being buried every night.

He is an advanced stats darling. Possession monster. Great teammate. He still puts up good numbers. He was 4th in voting last year for the Selke,and no, he is not way off from Kopitar and Kesler defensively. Bergeron? Yeah, Bergeron is the league's best defensive player (though he doesn't get buried like Backlund does - but nobody seems to). Backlund is right up there.

So yes, this is a bargain contract. In fact, I will argue that strong defensive players take longer to develop, and are in their 'prime' at a much later time in their careers. Bergeron was always an effective defensive player, but who is going to argue he was remotely THIS good defensively @25? Or Kesler? Or Kopitar? These guys hit their prime around 30 for the most part defensively, and stay effective until they can no longer skate. Backlund is a fitness freak (as mentioned by Treliving) and I don't worry about year 5 or 6. His production might be down a bit, but his defensive acumen will probably be the sharpest and he will probably be an effective defensive specialist at age 34.

 

[Baxterman]

Without Backlund the Flames are further from being a contender though. There is nobody on this team that can replace the workload that Backlund does if he were to leave, so why set yourself back further and waste the years of the players you have just to acquire draft picks?

Well if you aren't a contender does it really matter how far back you are because changes need to be made either way.

It is likely this team never contends for the Cup in Backlunds time with the team so is it better to move on now and get on with it or keep the same group together and hope for a miracle?

I think best example, although not a perfect analogy, was the Leafs moving on from Kessel. They were further away from competing when they moved him and many said didn't get enough for him but it cleared out salary and moved a key guy out so that they could get on with what they needed to do. Now Calgary isn't in as bad a spot as the Leafs were at the time of the Kessel deal but it does show that at times moving a guy out so you can get on with what you need to do is sometimes almost as important as what you get back.

I just hate the idea of hanging on to a decent not great core and being in the mushy middle as Burke (I think) called it and I am worried that is what we are doing here.

 

[DrJustice]

Backlund is a great example on why organizations shouldn't give up on players early on in their careers. Didn't exactly light it up his first four or so years in the league but matured and grew into a player who will be good for 40-50 points and be great defensively. A solid #2 center, not every team can have a Malkin on their second line and he clearly works in the role they are deploying him in. 6 years surprised me at first but then I realized he's only 28, he looks a couple years older than that

 

[1989]

Well if you aren't a contender does it really matter how far back you are because changes need to be made either way.

It is likely this team never contends for the Cup in Backlunds time with the team so is it better to move on now and get on with it or keep the same group together and hope for a miracle?

I think best example, although not a perfect analogy, was the Leafs moving on from Kessel. They were further away from competing when they moved him and many said didn't get enough for him but it cleared out salary and moved a key guy out so that they could get on with what they needed to do. Now Calgary isn't in as bad a spot as the Leafs were at the time of the Kessel deal but it does show that at times moving a guy out so you can get on with what you need to do is sometimes almost as important as what you get back.

I just hate the idea of hanging on to a decent not great core and being in the mushy middle as Burke (I think) called it and I am worried that is what we are doing here.

Those are a lot of crystal ball-esque assumptions. It's just as easy to say "great signing, core is moving forward, only a couple pieces away from opening the perennial Cup window". It's fine to be cautious but nobody is a contender until they show it (Nashville, L.A., Tampa Bay are recent examples of "you aren't successful until you can show you're successful") but being a contrarian for the sake of it is no good.

Trading presently tangible ability for an uncertain future, especially when a team is closer to success than failure, seems like an unwise move… but you advocate that?

 

[Snakepit]

People seem ecstatic with this deal. Is this market value now for a guy who tops out between 45-55 points?

Seems to be, give or take. Using the 1 mil per 10 points rule of thumb.

Backlunds strength isn't the points he gets though, it's the ones he prevents on the other end

 

[Captain Bowie]

6 years is a looooong time for a guy who's already 29 and not a superstar.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

People seem ecstatic with this deal. Is this market value now for a guy who tops out between 45-55 points?

When they're a top end defensive centre, yes. Backlund is similar to guys like Jordan Staal and Frans Nielsen (not going to argue who's better because I'm not interested in fanboy fights), both of whom make 5-6 million/year.

 

[seafoam]

I think it’s a fine deal when you consider it’s buying out all of Backlund’s free agency years.

 

[Iceman]

People seem ecstatic with this deal. Is this market value now for a guy who tops out between 45-55 points?

Well, he gets paid up to a million less than young players with 1 good season under their belt on top of being a stellar defensive player. Better and more proven value than paying a million more for a player who has had 1 good year and that you think will be good but you are not sure.