With absolutely nothing happening in the hockey world right now, and for the foreseeable future, I’ve decided to take the plunge and write player profiles for each member of the Calgary Flames.
As was the case when I did them last summer, we’ll be looking at the season they just put together and expectations moving forward.
We kicked things off with former Carolina Hurricanes Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin.
Today we’re going with Mikael Backlund.
Counting stats: 70 games played, 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists), 17:57 average time on ice
5v5 underlyings: 1.77 points/60, +1.22 CF% Rel, +6.72 GF% Rel, +.49 xGF% Rel, 100.6 PDO
2019-20 review: Mikael Backlund, like the Flames as a whole, had a very up-and-down season. He started the year somewhat slowly – especially in terms of producing at 5v5 – and was moved out of position and all throughout the lineup as a result. That only made matters worse. For a while, Backlund legitimately looked cooked.
Interim head coach Geoff Ward ultimately decided to move Backlund back to center, where he belongs, with Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Tkachuk. It paid off in spades.
Backlund didn’t just return to his usual form. He did one (or two better). There was a ~month long stretch where Backlund was one of the best two-way forwards in the entire NHL. He piled up the points and was above 60% in almost every key on-ice metric. It was an insane run.
Now, in aggregate, his season was a success by basically any measure. Backlund was strong defensively, his relative numbers were positive across the board, and he produced at a ~53 point pace over 82 games.
Sean Monahan, despite cushier usage and better offensive linemates throughout the year, is only three points clear of Backlund.
I think I speak for everyone when I say I’d happily take 50 points and plus-defense from the 2C.
Fun fact(s): Backlund was quietly one of the game’s best playmakers at 5v5, recording more assists (21) than all but 33 forwards.
2020-21 outlook: I think the Flames could be a much different team next season. T.J. Brodie and/or Travis Hamonic may walk in free agency. There’s also real potential GM Brad Treliving pulls the plug on part of the core, with Sean Monahan seemingly the obvious candidate to move.
All that said, I think Mikael Backlund is pretty firmly entrenched in his role. Even if Monahan is dealt, and no center comes back, I don’t think he’ll move up (Elias Lindholm would surely play 1C). The Flames don’t really have anybody to push Backlund down the lineup either.
Though Backlund’s age is slowly starting to show, I think playing with Andrew Mangiapane – and potentially still Matthew Tkachuk – should keep things rather graceful.
I don’t expect much of a drop off. At least not yet.
numbers via naturalstattrick.com and hockey-reference.com Recent posts: