I think we all assumed he would take Conroy’s spot on the third line and Conny would be demoted. But since he’s played well recently and every game is a must-win, I’m guessing Butter’s thinking is that giving him limited ice time in a situation where he can be relatively sheltered gives them the best chance.

Another way of looking at it is that Backlund will be paired with two defensively solid players, therefore covering for some of his defensive liabilities.

The funny thing is, he actually has the lowest GA per 60 minutes of any Flame, but 11 games doesn’t exactly prove any kind of track record.

In turn, if he’s the creative one on the line, he might add some offense. That said, I still wish Glencross was healthy.