[CsInMyBlood]

I had posted this article last year when the debate was on who would replace Giordano as the C.

-In 2018 Captained Sweden to a Gold medal at the Worlds. Sweden was perfect with Backlund as captain, running the table to a 10-0 record. Here is some of the article https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/a-go...nt/c-298716768 after winning the gold from his coaches and teammates:

He earned some positive reviews in his first go-round representing Sweden with the 'C'.

"Tremendous job," Sweden head coach Rikard Gronborg said.

"I knew we had a good captain, but he did more than I thought he would do. He took tremendous ownership of the whole process of the players and he was a great link between the coaching staff and the players. Even before, he was doing the scheduling every day. That's the type of player he is. It was easy for us to reach the players because he was such a great link.

"Tremendous hockey player, tremendous person and a great leader."

Johan Garpenlov, Sweden's assistant coach, a three-time skater in past tournaments, and a veteran of 609 NHL games logged with stints with the Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers, echoed the thought.

"He's done a great job for us," Garpenlov said. "He's our leader, obviously, our captain. On and off the ice he's such a good player. He shows up every game, every shift. He makes the guys feel comfortable out there, even in the dressing room. He's done a great job."

From the coaches perspective, Backlund did a bang-up job.

From his teammates perspective?

Much of the same.

"Just great, great leader," said teammate and Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg. "Great player. Obviously playing against him a lot in Calgary, you see the two-way game that he brings. He's got a really high skill set but still one of the best defensive centers in the league.

"Coming in here, he was a guy taking charge, talking a lot, just being vocal in the locker room and leading on the ice. He was one of our best players every game I played here.

"I'm just proud to be his teammate."

The role was natural for Backlund, who in Calgary has sported an 'A' from time to time and was the recipient of the J.R. McCaig Award, given by the Flames to both the player and staff member who best exemplify McCaig's enduring virtues of respect, courtesy and compassion for all individuals he encountered both in his professional and everyday life in March.