3M LINE LOOKING FOR A REBOUND NEXT SEASON
Flames’ No. 2 offensive unit got burned defensively, writes
One of the Calgary Flames’ most productive trios in 2016-17 experienced a significant drop-off this season.
And the members of the 3M line — most notably Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik who, along with Matthew Tkachuk, made up Calgary’s shutdown second line — were the first ones to take criticisms on the chin.
“We can all get better, starting with myself,” said Backlund. “I wasn’t as good as I know I can be.”
Backlund went from scoring 22 goals and 31 assists in 81 games in 2016-17 to scoring just 14 times along with 31 assists in 82 contests last season. He also finished with a minus-21 rating, the worst on the Flames. The year before, he was a plus nine.
Right behind him was Frolik, at minus-19. And like his linemate, the offensive numbers for Frolik were down as well, with just 10 goals and 15 assists in 70 games. The previous year he went 12-2758 in 82 games. He was also a plus 13 in 2016-17.
Say what you want about the validity of the statistic itself. Some believe it’s misleading, especially when you’re a shutdown player who is on the ice against the top lines from opposing teams. But it’s never a good sign when you’re among the worst in the NHL in that category, particularly when your team failed to qualify for the postseason.
“I want to contribute not just offensively, but I got put in a role to shut guys down and I didn’t do as good of a job this year as last year,” pointed out Backlund. “It’s not my first thing to score goals, but I definitely take pride in the last few years scoring 20 and I want to get back to that. I’m very embarrassed. I was a very low minus player this year.”
Calgary finished with 216 goals during the regular season, which was 27th in the NHL and an average of 2.63 goals per game.
If you add it all up — Backlund’s 14 tallies, Frolik’s 10 and Tkachuk’s 24 — the trio accounted for 22 per cent of the team’s scoring this season. Last year, they contributed 23 per cent of Calgary’s 222 goals scored (17th in the NHL).
Secondary scoring was a problem this year, no doubt, and Frolik recognizes that they could have contributed to the solution.
“We were talking about stats (during Monday’s exit meetings) and they were bad. Nobody produced, everybody was minus in the plus-minus,” said Frolik who had 17 goals and 27 assists in 82 games during the 2016-17 season. “Secondary scoring was an issue. Our first line was producing very well but our second line, including me and Backs, we need to be better.’’
Frolik, of course, missed significant time after undergoing jaw surgery when he absorbed a Brent Burns shot to the face on Dec. 28. The incident also broke some of his teeth and he was required to wear a facemask for a considerable amount of time although he took the visor off for the final few weeks of the season.
On Monday, he also admitted to dealing with a wrist issue for the past few months, which didn’t help the situation.
“An injury like that is never easy, especially when you have to step away from the game for a couple of weeks,” Frolik said. “There’s definitely no excuse, but it was the first time in my career I had to be out like that.
“Before the injury happened, my game was where I wanted it to be and I was feeling good. The injury happened and it was a setback. I don’t like to be off the ice for two or three days and I had to spend two weeks in my bed.”
The other piece of the M-shaped-puzzle was Tkachuk who, arguably, was the most productive of the three.
Tkachuk had 24 goals and 25 assists in 68 games in his sophomore season and although he missed the final 12 games of the season with a concussion, he contributed plenty. The 20-yearold rabble rouser upped his offence, improving from the 13 goals and 25 assists in 76 regularseason appearances in his rookie season.
I want to contribute not just offensively, but I got put in a role to shut guys down and I didn’t do as good of a job this year as last year.
He also finished first in the NHL for penalties drawn (42) and being one of the most emotionally engaged players on a nightly basis.
As for Backlund, he said on Monday that he was badly distracted by his ongoing contract negotiations. The two sides eventually hammered out a deal on Feb. 16 that saw the two-way pivot receive a six-year contract extension worth $32.1-million.
“At first it went well, but then when things started heating up over a few months, it was on my mind pretty much every day,” he said. “It was on the back of my mind and it distracted me a little bit, for sure.”
Like the rest of the Flames, they’re hoping for a fresh start next season.
“We weren’t good enough, this year just didn’t go well for us,” Frolik said. “I don’t want to put anything on anyone. I’ll take the blame on me. Offensively, we really struggled, including me. It was a tough year, but I’ll take the responsibility and will look in the mirror and do everything I can to be better next year.”