Mikael Backlund suits up for game 792...5th all-time in Flames lore

[transplant99]

“They can’t get rid of me, I guess,” Backlund said with a chuckle. “It makes me feel like they really appreciate me here in Calgary and I feel that from the fans, too, and the community. The organization has always been great to me and I feel like they’ve always appreciated me as a person and a player, so I’m very thankful.

“It’s definitely a very cool milestone, something I’m excited about,” he continued. “It has been a lot of ups and downs, personally and for the team over the years. I think I’ve had three different GMs, four if you count Brian Burke (on an interim basis). I think six or seven coaches, which is maybe not a great thing because that means you haven’t been playing well as a team. And a lot of players have been here and I’m still here, so it means I’ve been doing something right over these years and that the organization appreciates what I do. It feels good. I’m very proud to join that Top 5. There are some big names up there. I played with three of them and they were all great leaders and great guys, so I’m excited to join that group.”

“I believe in this group, and I’m excited for the future here. I truly believe, if nothing crazy happens, we’re going to make the playoffs and I feel like we have a team that can go deep in this playoffs.

“In 2018-19, we had a really good season but we didn’t have any adversity, really. We just slowed down a little bit at the end of the year. But this year, we went through that tough road-trip in Florida. Even before COVID, we’d lost as few games, and then we had that outbreak. So this group has been through a lot too, not just all positive. So I feel like this group is probably more mentally prepared with adversity and we have a more experienced playoff group, as well.

https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...n-games-played

[agulati]

Great milestone for Backlund as well as for the organization. I have always liked Backlund. I know folks have always wanted him to have more production, but his effort is always consistent.

[getoverit]

Love 2nd half Backlund. crazy how time flies

[Textcritic]

Do you guys remember that he was supposedly KHL-bound by 2014? Backlund has turned into a damn fine player.

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[EVERLAST]

Love Backs. I ran into Gelinas 2 years ago and we ended up talking a little about him and he said he's a really good kid.
I know he has confidence issues sometimes but when he is ON he has a great 200 ft game .
It'd be nice to see him win a cup here after all this time .
I enjoyed watching him a couple games back when he had to hits on one shift and he rocked both opponents off their feet.

[looooob]

my son and I met him a few times out and about in the early days- seemed like a great guy then, and still now


Chris Sutter wears a Backlund jersey I think?


that's an interesting top 5 and remarkable that Fleury has been bumped out of there (politics aside- just stunning to think that Fleury is no longer a top 5 GP Flame given his historic tenure, 4 of the 5 players are post cup guys)


an interesting list- 2 Flames draftees - Backlund and MacInnis (sorry the latter is as much if not more a Flame than a Blue!!!!)


one undrafted legend


and two guys acquired before they hit the NHL ice in deals for Flames legends including the aforementioned #14


12 more games and Backlund will have the most games played in Flames silks by a Flames drafted player

[looooob]

in the games played column Monahan is currently 9th and Johnny is 16th- Johnny has to pass Kipper next! man that guy was a beast

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Do you guys remember that he was supposedly KHL-bound by 2014? Backlund has turned into a damn fine player.

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Who could forget. He seemed to be cursed by injury early in his career which held him back a bit. There will be those who also curse out Brent Sutter for some of his early struggles too. But starting in 2013-14 he's been healthier and more often than not an effective player for the team. It's always said that he's a third line center, but they haven't been able to find two guys to force him down the depth chart yet. If only some of those other mid 20's picks the Flames made between 2004 to 2008 worked out anything like Backlund.

Analytics don't care about players off ice contributions to the team or the organization. I do think those things hold some water as you need players who are good citizens and can help keep the culture and expectations for the organization transitioning thru the next group of players. I see Backlund as being the guy who now carries that torch for the team.

Hopefully he can keep going here in the second half and one day get to the 1000 mark. If he stays healthy he'll be at 980 or so at the end of this contract.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Do you guys remember that he was supposedly KHL-bound by 2014? Backlund has turned into a damn fine player.

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WhereRUChrisOSullivan? hehehehehe

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Who could forget. He seemed to be cursed by injury early in his career which held him back a bit. There will be those who also curse out Brent Sutter for some of his early struggles too. But starting in 2013-14 he's been healthier and more often than not an effective player for the team. It's always said that he's a third line center, but they haven't been able to find two guys to force him down the depth chart yet. If only some of those other mid 20's picks the Flames made between 2004 to 2008 worked out anything like Backlund...

Which is pretty ridiculous since Backlund has consistently produced enough to rank in the top-50 of centremen every year, all while logging the toughest minutes on the team. I continue to think that he has never gotten the credit he deserves for being a hell if a player.


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[GS Skier]

Big fan of Backlund, deceptively flat out fast. Followed his career literally from day one as my parents live in Kelowna and I saw him play as a Rocket!

Agree lots of goofy injuries early on and then I recall a game against Detroit about 7-8 years ago 2 goals an assist and you saw ffor the first time an early edition of what he'd settle into. I don't care what "line" he's on. Mathews and Marner had goal scoring streaks...snapped by Backlund who was on Mathews like a blanket. Mathews got pissed at him!

Laine came in on a goal scoring streak. he came out with an assist because Backlund was all over him.

.5 pts per game pretty much like clock work and he's shown flashes of producing even more in the past couple of years.

I hope they keep him. The day will come when he needs to move on but that's 3-4 years away for sure.

[81MC]

We couldn’t do it with Gio, but I really hope Backlund is a career Flame.

[TheSquatch]

Backs has done so much heavy lifting, carrying play, controlling play... just a really smart determined hockey player. I bet people just hate playing against him. Took me a long time to appreciate him, I remember Sutter drafting a skilled Swede and everyone was kinda shocked, and he never turned into Gretzky, but once he rebuilt his game around being tenacious and smart rather than offensively gifted, he turned into an unbelievably valuable player.

[MacFlame]

Backlund must never play for another organization. Ever. You simply don’t trade players like this. He’s a flame.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Which is pretty ridiculous since Backlund has consistently produced enough to rank in the top-50 of centremen every year, all while logging the toughest minutes on the team. I continue to think that he has never gotten the credit he deserves for being a hell if a player.


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I don’t think there’s much doubt that Backlund’s skillset is better suited as a shutdown defensive forward. I also don’t think there is any doubt that he doesn’t have any elite or even high end offensive abilities.

What he is efficient at is on the other side of the puck.

He has average offensive abilities so playing over 20mins a night and getting both PP and PK time makes it no surprise that he flirts with the top 50 C in points annually.

I’m not throwing any shade at the guy but I do truly believe he is better suited as a 3C because for me I like having high end offence in the top 6.

Look at Tampas back-to-back Champs 3rd line. It had Coleman along with other strong 2-way forwards. Even if they played the 2nd most as a line there was never any doubt the Stamkos line was the 2nd line.

That’s what people mean when Backlund should be the 3C.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

He has average offensive abilities so playing over 20mins a night and getting both PP and PK time makes it no surprise that he flirts with the top 50 C in points annually.

Mikael Backlund has never averaged 20 minutes a night in his 14 NHL seasons. His career high average time on ice was 19:01 in 2017-18. Most years he sits at 17 and change. His overall career average is 16:54.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Mikael Backlund has never averaged 20 minutes a night in his 14 NHL seasons. His career high average time on ice was 19:01 in 2017-18. Most years he sits at 17 and change. His overall career average is 16:54.

Ok fair enough.

Hahah I guess my point was he is getting top 6 forward minutes.

Not many forwards in general average over 20mins a game so my bad, I got lost in the point I was trying to make.

[Jay Random]

He is getting top 6 minutes, and putting up top 6 numbers. Could that mean he's actually a top 6 forward?

[DropIt]

Favorite Flame. Always cheering for him and unlike a lotnof guys his down games he is still effective.

Seems like he has been playing for forever, really shows what a milestone 1000 games is

[devo22]

super happy for him. Also more milestones ahead ... we have 34 games left this season and he sits exactly 34 games behind Regehr, who is currently 3rd.