In Sunday's paper there was a "feel good" story about Mikael Backlund, going on about how Mickis had his whole family in town for Christmas. I'm happy that the young swede was able to chow down on his mom's home cooking surrounded by his loved ones, but one part of the article left me fuming:
"Told to buy his own place this year, he moved into a new home in December..."
Really? Someone told Mickis to set down roots? To my eyes, this means that, realistically, no matter what happens, he is not going back to Abbotsford. You can't tell a player on an entry level deal to buy a home, incur the debt obligation, and then ship him back to the minors to slum it out in some rental condo with four teammates. Daz basically upgraded him to a one way deal with 6 words: “Go ahead, kid, buy a house.” And the blame HAS to be placed on the GM, adding another bullet point to the long list of Darryl mis-steps. All the NMC/NTC deals. The brain dead contract extensions. The bad trades. Picking up Olli Jokinen. Twice.
I can hardly type my hands are shaking so hard, and I hope to get through this piece without throwing my computer across the room. Backlund could be getting solid development minutes, while making $65,000 a year (capgeek), with no cap hit, but instead he's wearing a suit, munching popcorn, and warming a chair in the press box. What a total waste. Maybe up in the rafters of the 'dome is where Daz envisioned Staios' leadership making a difference.
So this is me begging now: Please fire Darryl. As soon as we possibly can. Every day that goes by he finds a way to push the team further from success. Some people have suggested that since we are already hogtied for the next season (because of Darryl), that there is no advantage to destabilizing the management at this point. I think this example with Backlund proves that an early intervention is required.
End venting session. That felt good, but it will feel better when we see some progress. And you know I'm still a fan...
Go Flames!
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12 comments:
MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!! Someone finally said it. Ive been saying all year that Backlund has no biznazz being on this team. The kid, two year removed from playing D2 hockey in Sweden, is better suited spending a season or two in the AHL. Now I read that the Flames tell him to buy a pad in Calgary. Now thats what I call wasting talent. He's not suited to play in the NHL right now and he is going to be a spectator for the rest of year. Daz is running this team to the ground day by day. Thanks for writing this.
jafi: i totally disagree ---i think mickis is improving in the big leagues and is contributing to this team. i don't, however, think sitting in the pressbox is doing his development any favours.
Yeah KingJafi, I'm afraid WI is closer to my point of view. I wasn't intending to criticize Backlund's role as an NHLer vs. AHLer, which I would still consider an open question. There are really two main points I wanted to get across:
1) In a situation where we had some contract flexibility available (two way deal), Daz gave the wiggle room away for NOTHING; and,
2) Mickis may be an NHL player or an AHL player, but he is definitely not getting anything accomplished watching from the sidelines.
Hear hear!
Plus, he's an asshat.
Ok. I'll agree with you guys that sitting in the pressbox is not doing MB's development any good. :) I still think the guy would have been better off at least spending this whole season in the AHL. I honestly believe that if it wasn't for injuries and Daz' desperation, that would have happened. Daz went to far though...kept him around and told him to buy a house. Now Daz is exposing him to a losing environment and is not playing him. That's an overall F in Backlund department whether you think he should be in the minors or not. I really don't know what to say about Daz anymore...its been going on about a year and a half since I've being expressing that the guy should be fired and I'm just getting immune to the incompetancy of it all. Two offseasons later and it keeps getting worse. The management of Backlund is just another thing that makes my frustration boil over. I try really hard not to think about the damage Daz is inflicting on the franchise as everyday passes by. I love this blog...makes me feel like I'm not alone. :)
totally overlooked in this situation is the fact that mickis has a 1.2 million dollar cap hit in the bigs. while it's really nice to give the kid some cash, daz is YET AGAIN needlessly spending ownership money.
i have no idea how this guy still has a job. none.
Holy crap, you got your wish. He's gone! It must have been this blog post that did it.
i think it was actually the last line of my last comment.
OMG !!! *happiness*
Good news. We definitely have a long process ahead, but at least we're getting started.
And I'm SURE it was this post that put them over the edge. :)
walkinvisible speaks, shit happens. That's how things get done around these here parts!
HOLY SHIT. I write my comment and like an hour later my year and half old prayers are answered!!! It's definitely because I read and comment on Hit the Post!! It has to be!! Flames Nation (the fans not the site) can thank me. ;)
...and WI. :)
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