Backlund proud to reach 1000-game milestone with Flames after tough start to career
Mikael Backlund admits that celebrating the 1000-game milestone with the Flames was a part of his decision to re-sign with the team and celebrating it elsewhere would make the achievement feel hollow.
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SALT LAKE CITY – A first-round pick in the crosshairs of an impatient fan base early on, Mikael Backlund remembers thinking early in his stint as a Calgary Flame, ‘This might not work out.’
“A lot of injuries early in my career, not playing well in the minors, then a couple seasons as a fourth liner who was a healthy scratch, there were a lot of times where I didn’t know how long I was gonna be in this league,” said the 35-year-old Swede, reflecting on his 17-year career in Calgary.
“I remember talking to (his wife) Frida – it was a tough change for her to come over here – and at the time we were talking about, ‘maybe a few more years and then we’ll go to Switzerland to play.’”
Never happened.
Frida grew to love Calgary, and Backlund got more comfortable and appreciative of life in the show, to the point that after his 500th NHL game, he openly stated his goal was to play 1,000.
He’ll do that Thursday in Salt Lake City, surrounded by a team he now captains, and a crew of friends and family members who have flown in from overseas to share his monumental achievement.
“It’s not the same if I do it alone, I’ve got to share with my family and friends,” said Backlund, who started telling those closest to him in Sweden last season he would be flying them in for a weekend of celebration, which will include a dinner party Saturday.
“That’s what gives me the chills right now talking about it.”
His six best friends flew into Utah for the milestone game and will then join him in Calgary for Friday’s game and silver stick presentation, where 20 more Swedish guests will arrive to join his closest Calgary friends in a Saddledome suite.
Included in that crew will be his billets from Kelowna, who Backlund has stayed in touch with all these years
“I think that just goes to show you the character he does have – he was only in Kelowna for four months,” said Flames coach Ryan Huska, who also happened to be Backlund’s coach with the WHL’s Rockets.
“When I got hired in Calgary he was the first guy to text me. Just a real good person, and I love that he’s taking this all in and really enjoying this, because he deserves it.
“It’s special that he was drafted here (24th overall in 2007) and has played his entire career here.”
Backlund admits thoughts of how, when and where his milestone moment would play out were a part in his decision to re-sign with the Flames last fall.
The thought of celebrating it anywhere else felt hollow.
“Everything we put into Calgary, and everything Calgary has given us, we just felt like it would be so special doing it in Calgary, and it was the right thing to do,” said Backlund, who won the King Clancy Trophy for his work in the community.
“We feel so grateful that we made that decision. It’s like the best decision we made, and we are really happy we stayed. “Last year there was a lot of uncertainty team-wise, but I feel like now we’re on the right path and we’ve got a lot of good things coming.
“So I’m super excited to be doing it as a Flame, and it means the world to do it in the city of Calgary.”
Only 400 players before him have appeared in 1,000 games, a list that includes 18 Swedes.
Only 48 have done it while playing exclusively for one franchise.
Quite a feat for a lad whose early introduction to the league included a demotion to the AHL where Darryl Sutter told him to learn how to play defence.
It served him well, as he’s long been considered one of the most responsible and respected two-way centres in the game.
“I got there and (coach) Jimmy (Playfair) was really hard on me – it was a tough part of my life and I didn’t play well,” said Backlund, who has 202 goals and 536 points in the bigs.
“Sometimes I wanted to go home to Sweden, but people that are coming this week told me, ‘you’re not going home, you’re staying.’”
They were right, and he wound up staying longer than any of them dreamed.
