Mikael Backlund - Dobber

[Crazynuck]

There hasn\'t been much talk about this kid but he sits in 8th on your prospect list. I thought his high ranking had to do with him being NHL ready over the other top prospects but the likes of Turris, Oshie, Brassard, Little, Ryan, ect are all NHL ready. He is ranked ahead of Voracek and Okposo.

So this means this kid is projected to put up big points.
Last years prospect guide had him NHL ready in 2-6 years and with a 80 pt upside. With his high ranking I would assume he is NHL ready now with about the same upside.

What is the story behind his high ranking?

[smack]

Yeah I\'m curious myself. I remember he had a fantastic junior tournament as him and Berglund were by far the best players on a deep Swedish team and were always a threat. I just wonder how his season overall was in Sweden.

Also, I wonder how he\'d look centring Iginla, but I doubt Iron Mike would let that happen.

[Crazynuck]

I\'m wondering if Dobber has some inside info that with Langkow becoming a UFA, maybe Backlund will be the guy to fill the void. Doubt this would happen but makes sense for his high ranking.

[drury2396]

All I know was he looked like a potential stud at the WJC. Easily Sweden\'s second best forward after Berglund.

[gagnerific]

wow I\'m also really shocked with this news, I drafted him very late in my rookie draft last year hoping for the best. And now he\'s top 10!!! ive been trying to track him through this:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player...95&lang=en

I\'m not sure what roster he is on currently though. I wish I could see some footage of his skills (other than WJC)

[ultrawhiteness]

yes, he looked great at the WJC. i\'m not sure why dobber has him so high... must be inside info

THN\'s futurewatch said that he has not had very much icetime in the tier 2 swedish league, which is not good for a guy who wants to vie for an NHL job next year.

also, he was selected by kelowna in the whl import draft. if he doesn\'t make the flames next year (which i think is likely - in the WJC he had a tendency to float when he didn\'t have the puck which won\'t go over to well in the nhl), a year in the WHL would be great for him. Sutter loves his dub kids so i can see him pushing for that type of route.

one last thing. torture posted a rumour recently about apparent talks between sutter and langkow about an extension. if that happens, then langkow-lombardi should fill the first two lines, and hopefully andrei taratukhin can come back and be the C3. no need to rush backlund then.

[Crazynuck]

I believe that Langkow will be signed and play with Iggy Pop.

But the fact that Backlund is so high on the list makes me wonder. All of the top 10 players are NHL ready and Dobber ranks prospects by potential and how close they are to playing in the NHL. If it was Tavares then I would understand but a guy like Backlund who is not a hyped guy and may not even play in the NHL. :huh:

Dobber????

[gagnerific]

yes we definitly need dobber on this matter... DOBBER!!! I\'m extremely intruiged!

[Chuk]

I was doing some research on him earlier, debating whether to grab him for the future.

No one doubt his skills and he was awesome at the WJC, I am pretty sure the video of his goal against RUS is around.

The best article/blog I read basically said that he still needed time to physically and mentally mature before he would be ready for the NHL. 2009-2010 was the earliest year to come to the NHL with 2011-2012 being the year he is expected to have an impact and top 6 minutes.

I will look for the article when I get home but I believe it was a scouting report via the Canucks or Flyers.

I think his value is so high because he is a skilled PP guy and he seems to Play up to the level of the game. Th ebigger the game the better he plays. A real nice situation.

[ultrawhiteness]

all i can say is that i was overjoyed when we selected him last year. he\'s got to be the first truly offensively gifted forward that we\'ve drafted in.... o gawd, i don\'t even know how long.


wikipedia informs me that it was 1992. wow.

[Dobber]

I think he will make the Flames either this fall or next and when he does, he won\'t be eased in - I think he is a very mature hockey player for his age and from what I hear he is capable of stepping right in. I also moved his ceiling up to the high 80s.
B)

[gagnerific]

wow that\'s awesome! I\'m going to look like a genius selecting him with the last pick in the rookie draft last year!

[ultrawhiteness]

very good to hear.