Confirmed with Link: Flames sign Mikael Backlund 3 year ( $3.575M AAV )

[JurassicTunga]

Very good deal. good stuff.

 

[Skobel24]

Eh... that's a bit higher than I had hoped for. Oh well. They've got their #3 center locked down for a few years now.

 

[FlamerForLife]

Great signing!

 

[InfinityIggy]

this is simply not true. He cannot play defense or goal.

Ye of little faith.

 

[Lunatik]

Ye of little faith.

let prove it. when we play each other in the CFHF league you can slot him in as a goalie

 

[Sparky93]

If he can stay healthy, he's worth every penny....if. All and all I think it's fair.

 

[InfinityIggy]

let prove it. when we play each other in the CFHF league you can slot him in as a goalie

Couldn't be any worse than Quick.

 

[Lunatik]

Couldn't be any worse than Quick.

 

[CraigsList]

I think it was a decent signing. I know I was advocating for just a 3x3, but an extra 575k for 3 years isn't going to anger me at all.

 

[tmurfin]

Fair deal imo. Not overpaid, no big discount. Got our homegrown #3 shutdown C locked up for a few years. I like it!

 

[Johnny GODreau]

Pretty happy with deal. 75k/year more than I guessed.

 

[Anglesmith]

Great deal. The term is key. Two years from now is realistically when we'll know what we have in the centre ice position with Monahan, Bennett and Jankowski etc. So that's when we'll have to make a decision on whether Backlund is part of the core going forward or not. Perfect time to have one year left on his deal. $3.575M for one year will not scare teams off if they like his upside.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Really like the signing, I've liked Treliving's signings thus far.

 

[stajan]

3.575? Backlund is not worth that.

He has the best possession stats of all our forwards, and plays on the PP and PK. [mod]

 

[Meowmix]

Eye-test wise it's a bit too much. Statswise it's less than he should get. On average, it evens out. Good signing!

 

[Anglesmith]

Eye-test wise it's a bit too much. Statswise it's less than he should get. On average, it evens out. Good signing!

I would argue it's the other way around.

 

[Calculon]

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I got no issues with this, he's our #2 as of today and is able to play top 6. I do expect Bennett to pass him eventually, but that's fine. Backs is a reliable guy (when healthy). At least it's not over 4, eat it Boomer.

 

[Taranis]

He's most likely going to be the number two center next year which leaves two years at 3.57 as a third liner, if Bennett is ready to take over. To me this deal as I said earlier is perfect as the money and term are perfect to either be on the team as a #2 or #3 or be traded as the organization sees fit.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

He's most likely going to be the number two center next year which leaves two years at 3.57 as a third liner, if Bennett is ready to take over. To me this deal as I said earlier is perfect as the money and term are perfect to either be on the team as a #2 or #3 or be traded as the organization sees fit.

I agree, and if he does well next year as our #2 but at the same time Bennett makes him expendable, well then we have a very nice asset on our hands to deal. We several guys in Jooris, Granlund and Shore who could replace Backlund as our #3 by then.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I got no issues with this, he's our #2 as of today and is able to play top 6. I do expect Bennett to pass him eventually, but that's fine. Backs is a reliable guy (when healthy). At least it's not over 4, eat it Boomer.

There's also the possibility that if Bennett establishes himself as a #2C, Backlund plays on his LW in a Hossa type two-way winger role

 

[Pirate King Luffy]

Depends on Bennett really. If he is going to develop as a center or a winger. Having Bennett as career winger isn't our first choice, but if for whatever reason he can't be a center, Backlund at a 2C is decent. We got other guys who can play 3C anyways. Could be like a Galchenyuk but better.

In the end really it doesn't matter in a couple of seasons because we don't know what the roster is going to look like. Players will be brought in and others shipped out. Going forward though I would prefer Backlund as #3C.

 

[InfinityIggy]

A short summary of Backlund's career thus far, written by our very own: 100 Third Graders.

Flames Re-Sign Backlund

 

[Anglesmith]

A short summary of Backlund's career thus far, written by our very own: 100 Third Graders.

Flames Re-Sign Backlund

Tell me, does he feel strongly about this player?

 

[Lunatik]

Tell me, does he feel strongly about this player?

I am pretty indifferent actually.