14.4M 3rd line?

Backlund isn't a 2C on most teams. Especially not when he is 34 years old.

I guess. Saving on D with 4 wicked good contracts, plus a Dube bridge, Pelletier ELC, cheap Mangi, cheap Bennett and a steal on Lindholm

Middle 6 center sounds right then

Replace Zag with Wolf IMO

Not by 2023. Wolf is probably 2024, 25 arrival

Every team passes.

no team is paying a 1st for backlund

Nobody passes on a D prospect and 1st for one year (or two I can’t rmbr) of Looch except maybe Calgary, 2 2nds for Rittuch is more than fair and


I’d beg to differ. One single late round 1st for a good defensive 2C (middle 6 C if your picky) on a cheap contract. Blake Coleman got a 1st. Kasperi Kapanen got a 1st.

Blake Coleman had two years on his contract and Tampa overpaid.
Kapanen is younger and more cost controlled (as an RFA) and has a higher ceiling and everybody screams that Pittsburgh overpaid.

Not good comparable trades.

Hayes barely got a 1st when rangers traded him and he was having his best season at that point (42 points in 51 games) while being defensively responsible, playing pk, and driving play. He was also younger but also a ufa. Backlund took a step back last year (as did CGY as a whole), if this was last offseason I would say yeah because the year he came off of and the extra year on his contract but no one will pay that for a 30+ 3rd liner