Thoughts on Hudler?

[LukeD]

Love him. Flames have lacked this kind of creativity.

 

[BVicious]

I agree with every post in this thread except trying backlund on Hudlers line. These are the linemates Stagan needs to regain his 50point form.

Also backlund centering GlenX and Stemps worked great against Chicago.

Great signing so far, but only 3 games in a uniform. If I'm Feaster, I'm signing Cervanka to a 3 yr contract yesterday.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

What's with the obsession Flames have with Backlund?

Why would you want to separate a line that has been our best over the past 3 games just to give Backlund a shot when Stajan while not as creative or quick has been able to get the line possession by winning draws and his defensive awareness has allowed Hudler and Cervenka to take more chances offensively.

I am gonna say that Backlund has been our most dangerous player overall this season and I don't think there's any question that he has had the most goal scoring chances. Quite simply, while Stajan has been good and done his job, he does not have the skill set or ceiling that Backlund has. My reasoning for the switch would be to try and move that line from having a B rating to an A rating. Offensive players should play together and I think a line of C/B/H has the potential to be one hell of a dangerous line.

I would move Stajan with Glencross and Sven when he comes back. I had this conversation with my friend this morning, as you said Stajan is a good possession player and can be the one that is mainly defensively responsible on that line. Glencross can skate with Sven and he provides the size needed to give him space to create. Glencross is usually a good finisher and I think his game and Sven's in theory would compliment each other very well. I think that line also has the potential to be extremely good and I see no reason why all 3 of those lines cannot get equal playing time unless one line gets hotter. This would still be rewarding Stajan for his good play.

Those would be my combos:

Cammy Tangs Iggy
Cervenka Backlund Hudler
Baertschi Stajan Glencross

 

[CloneHakanPlease*]

If any thing it looks like Babcock held him back.

Believe it or not, but up until last season Hudler rarely played in the top 6. Then when he finally does, BOOM 25 goals.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Believe it or not, but up until last season Hudler rarely played in the top 6. Then when he finally does, BOOM 25 goals.

Great news for us then. Maybe he can crack 60 points here in a full season.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Great news for us then. Maybe he can crack 60 points here in a full season.

Or this year he is on pace for 75 points in 45 games this year

 

[Ynnek]

If we do sell off pieces later this season I don't mind building around Hudler, Cervenka, Baertschi and Backlund.

 

[TheHudlinator]

If we do sell off pieces later this season I don't mind building around Hudler, Cervenka, Baertschi and Backlund.

Yep I am fine letting Hudler and Cervenka be the veterans for the team next year.

 

[Savoie92]

If we do sell off pieces later this season I don't mind building around Hudler, Cervenka, Baertschi and Backlund.

I agree building around them would be good. I think Calgary is due to start letting the torch be passed to a new core of players

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

If we do sell off pieces later this season I don't mind building around Hudler, Cervenka, Baertschi and Backlund.

Add Boumeester to that. I think he would be good to keep for a rebuild.

 

[pdd]

Yep I am fine letting Hudler and Cervenka be the veterans for the team next year.

Like this?

 

[TheHudlinator]

Like this?

Yes, Hudler has looked like a star so far, even when he isn't scoring he is creating offensive chances.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Captain Hudler...

Has a nice ring to it.... haha.

 

[Lunatik]

I am gonna say that Backlund has been our most dangerous player overall this season and I don't think there's any question that he has had the most goal scoring chances. Quite simply, while Stajan has been good and done his job, he does not have the skill set or ceiling that Backlund has. My reasoning for the switch would be to try and move that line from having a B rating to an A rating. Offensive players should play together and I think a line of C/B/H has the potential to be one hell of a dangerous line.

I would move Stajan with Glencross and Sven when he comes back. I had this conversation with my friend this morning, as you said Stajan is a good possession player and can be the one that is mainly defensively responsible on that line. Glencross can skate with Sven and he provides the size needed to give him space to create. Glencross is usually a good finisher and I think his game and Sven's in theory would compliment each other very well. I think that line also has the potential to be extremely good and I see no reason why all 3 of those lines cannot get equal playing time unless one line gets hotter. This would still be rewarding Stajan for his good play.

Those would be my combos:

Cammy Tangs Iggy
Cervenka Backlund Hudler
Baertschi Stajan Glencross

It's funny you praise Backlund as the most dangerous player, maybe he is, but wouldn't that also make him the one with the most wasted chances? Stajan was the reason Bouwmeester scored the go ahead goal on Saturday, he did something that Backlund wouldn't and that is hang in there to make the play knowing he is about to get plastered. Stajan is a big reason his line is doing as well as they are and that is because when Hudler gets in in scoring position its Stajan putting the puck on his stick. I know that is not as sexy as Backlund's dipsy doodling and losing the puck without much of a shot or getting by the defense to just put it into the goaltender's pads/chest but lately its been more effective.

Backlund has looked better this year, but putting him with 2 shooters that aren't exactly elite without the puck when he likes to carry the puck and make fancier plays is a recipe for disaster. Backlund with the reigns off (which they appear to be) needs a Stajan type on his line as bad as Hudler & Cervenka do. It's why the line with Sven & Cammalleri was less than effective and horrible defensively.

 

[InfinityIggy]

It's funny you praise Backlund as the most dangerous player, maybe he is, but wouldn't that also make him the one with the most wasted chances? Stajan was the reason Bouwmeester scored the go ahead goal on Saturday, he did something that Backlund wouldn't and that is hang in there to make the play knowing he is about to get plastered. Stajan is a big reason his line is doing as well as they are and that is because when Hudler gets in in scoring position its Stajan putting the puck on his stick. I know that is not as sexy as Backlund's dipsy doodling and losing the puck without much of a shot or getting by the defense to just put it into the goaltender's pads/chest but lately its been more effective.

Backlund has looked better this year, but putting him with 2 shooters that aren't exactly elite without the puck when he likes to carry the puck and make fancier plays is a recipe for disaster. Backlund with the reigns off (which they appear to be) needs a Stajan type on his line as bad as Hudler & Cervenka do. It's why the line with Sven & Cammalleri was less than effective and horrible defensively.

Have to say I agree. Part of the reason that line has been successful thus far is Stajan being able to match those players passing abilities. Not sure Backlund can do that.

 

[pdd]

Have to say I agree. Part of the reason that line has been successful thus far is Stajan being able to match those players passing abilities. Not sure Backlund can do that.

I believe I said it before they even played a game together; Stajan was a good match for Hudler because he had some similar traits to Zetterberg; he was solid defensively and a very skilled passer. The major difference is that Hudler is clearly the more talented player of the two. I think Stajan is much closer to Cervenka in skill level than people are crediting him with, but his playing the "lock" mode has put Cervenka on display while keeping Stajan shut up similar to how he has been the past few years, aside from the fact that now he's using his defensive abilities for an offensive purpose.

 

[TheHudlinator]

It's funny you praise Backlund as the most dangerous player, maybe he is, but wouldn't that also make him the one with the most wasted chances? Stajan was the reason Bouwmeester scored the go ahead goal on Saturday, he did something that Backlund wouldn't and that is hang in there to make the play knowing he is about to get plastered. Stajan is a big reason his line is doing as well as they are and that is because when Hudler gets in in scoring position its Stajan putting the puck on his stick. I know that is not as sexy as Backlund's dipsy doodling and losing the puck without much of a shot or getting by the defense to just put it into the goaltender's pads/chest but lately its been more effective.

Backlund has looked better this year, but putting him with 2 shooters that aren't exactly elite without the puck when he likes to carry the puck and make fancier plays is a recipe for disaster. Backlund with the reigns off (which they appear to be) needs a Stajan type on his line as bad as Hudler & Cervenka do. It's why the line with Sven & Cammalleri was less than effective and horrible defensively.

Yea this all day, I understand we want Backlund to be a great player but right now Stajan is doing things other players simple won't. You can all Stajan overpaid etc but he is willing to take a hit to make a play he isn't scared of battling for puck on the wall and unlike most players he understands that he isn't the dangerous one with Hudler (or Iggy when he was with him) and often looks to give them the puck.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

It's funny you praise Backlund as the most dangerous player, maybe he is, but wouldn't that also make him the one with the most wasted chances? Stajan was the reason Bouwmeester scored the go ahead goal on Saturday, he did something that Backlund wouldn't and that is hang in there to make the play knowing he is about to get plastered. Stajan is a big reason his line is doing as well as they are and that is because when Hudler gets in in scoring position its Stajan putting the puck on his stick. I know that is not as sexy as Backlund's dipsy doodling and losing the puck without much of a shot or getting by the defense to just put it into the goaltender's pads/chest but lately its been more effective.

Backlund has looked better this year, but putting him with 2 shooters that aren't exactly elite without the puck when he likes to carry the puck and make fancier plays is a recipe for disaster. Backlund with the reigns off (which they appear to be) needs a Stajan type on his line as bad as Hudler & Cervenka do. It's why the line with Sven & Cammalleri was less than effective and horrible defensively.

Your previous post you asked, whats with the obsession with Backlund? And then in this post you are going out of your way to discuss all of his deficiencies. So now I'm going to ask, what is your motive for doing so when Backlund has done so well?

It could be said he has had the most wasted opportunities, I think you could also say he has been the most pleasant surprise this season. Backlund has performed almost exactly how I expected a healthy Baertschi to.

I have not once said anything negative about Stajan's play this season, he has done an admiral job and played well with Cervenka and Hudler. I have also acknowledged lots of the aspects of his play which have contributed to the early success of that line. That does not change my feelings that I feel swapping him with Backlund could potentially make that an even more dangerous line.

Backlund is not as good at FO's as Stajan is, however he is more than competent with his defensive play in his own end. In fact that is one of his strengths to his game. Backlund is also a very good and creative playmaker. One of reasons he has been generating so many scoring opportunities on his line is because he has had to so to generate offence. Cervenka and Hudler are more skilled players and its my opinion that their games would gel extremely well together.

Regardless of what you or I think, our opinions are all just theoretical. I have heard several NHL coaches comment that even they really have no idea how certain players are going to do together until they are actually tried. We have seen that all to many times here in Calgary with trying different combinations on Iginla's line.

I get the thinking that if a line is playing well, why tinker with it and I do agree. But as soon as Czech line cools off, I would like to see Backlund play there to see what they can do. Again, I think that line would have the potential to be our most productive line. Cervenka is also an excellent playmaker and I feel Backlund would really benefit from playing with him.

 

[Janks]

Your previous post you asked, whats with the obsession with Backlund? And then in this post you are going out of your way to discuss all of his deficiencies. So now I'm going to ask, what is your motive for doing so when Backlund has done so well?

It could be said he has had the most wasted opportunities, I think you could also say he has been the most pleasant surprise this season. Backlund has performed almost exactly how I expected a healthy Baertschi to.

I have not once said anything negative about Stajan's play this season, he has done an admiral job and played well with Cervenka and Hudler. I have also acknowledged lots of the aspects of his play which have contributed to the early success of that line. That does not change my feelings that I feel swapping him with Backlund could potentially make that an even more dangerous line.

Backlund is not as good at FO's as Stajan is, however he is more than competent with his defensive play in his own end. In fact that is one of his strengths to his game. Backlund is also a very good and creative playmaker. One of reasons he has been generating so many scoring opportunities on his line is because he has had to so to generate offence. Cervenka and Hudler are more skilled players and its my opinion that their games would gel extremely well together.

Regardless of what you or I think, our opinions are all just theoretical. I have heard several NHL coaches comment that even they really have no idea how certain players are going to do together until they are actually tried. We have seen that all to many times here in Calgary with trying different combinations on Iginla's line.

I get the thinking that if a line is playing well, why tinker with it and I do agree. But as soon as Czech line cools off, I would like to see Backlund play there to see what they can do. Again, I think that line would have the potential to be our most productive line. Cervenka is also an excellent playmaker and I feel Backlund would really benefit from playing with him.

Spot on. Backlund needs creative players with skill, not crash and bang style players.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Spot on. Backlund needs creative players with skill, not crash and bang style players.

He hasn't been playing with crash and bang players tho, 75% of his 5v5 time is with Cammy and 56% of the time is with Stemps, along with 31% with Sven. Why break up our best line in Hudler - Stajan - Cervenka to put Backlund there?

 

[Lunatik]

He hasn't been playing with crash and bang players tho, 75% of his 5v5 time is with Cammy and 56% of the time is with Stemps, along with 31% with Sven. Why break up our best line in Hudler - Stajan - Cervenka to put Backlund there?

Because there is this sick and twisted obsession with Backlund and trying to get him to break out. He is playing well, why keep tinkering, let them get comfortable and see what happens.

 

[pdd]

Hudler/Stajan/Cervenka shouldn't be broken up while it's hot.

But there's no reason not to give Backlund a shift or two between the Czechs while he's looking great, just to see if it might make the line EVEN BETTER.

It would allow Hartley a piece in Stajan to try on other lines; Glencross/Stajan/Iginla. I know, what, no Cammy OR Tanguay? Tough; Iggy has been solid defensively and it puts two gritty wingers with scoring abilty on Stajan's wing; Stajan is a skilled playmaker and the team's best faceoff guy. Cammalleri/Tanguay/Stempniak might work out really well also.

Maybe Hartley could try this lineup once the H/S/C line cools off... if it does.