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Mikael Backlund | Center

Team: Calgary Flames
Age / DOB:  (24) / 3/17/1989
Ht / Wt:  6'0' / 200
Contract: view contract details
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Latest News

Recent News

Mikael Backlund has a right foot fracture and won't play for Sweden in the world championships.
Backlund had eight goals and 16 points in 32 games this season, although it's now fair to wonder how long he's been playing with this injury considering he played through the final game of the year. Backlund is scheduled for restricted free agency this summer and this injury certainly won't help his case. Regardless, the former first-round pick is unlikely to have any fantasy value in most formats. Apr 29 - 8:15 PM

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Player News

Date:

Mikael Backlund found the back of the net on Saturday.

Backlund has seven goals and 14 points in 26 games. The Flames don't have much left to play for as a team, but every point Backlund gets will help him in his contract negotiations. He's scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Source: Calgary Sun
Apr 14 - 8:49 AM

Mikael Backlund is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.

"Obviously, the better I play, the better contract I’ll get — that’s how it works," says Backlund. "So I’m trying to do my best and show them that I want to be a part of this team, I want to be part of the future of this organization. Hopefully, I’d like to stay here." Backlund is 24 and has never been much of an option in standard fantasy leagues. He inked a one-year, $725,000 contract for the 2012-13 campaign.
Apr 12 - 8:37 AM

Look for Mikael Backlund to center Roman Cervenka and Sven Baertschi on Monday.

The Flames will take on the Colorado Avalanche and with Baertschi being recalled on Sunday due to the injury suffered by Brian McGrattan, Calgary coach Bob Hartley will play his three talented European trained players together, hoping the line has some magic together. Backlund could be worth a pickup if the line clicks, in deeper leagues.
Apr 8 - 4:52 AM

Mikael Backlund scored Calgary’s lone goal, a power play marker in the first period, in their 2-1 loss to San Jose Friday night.

Backlund now has 11 points in 21 games this season as he’s beginning to warm up to his third line centre roll.
Apr 6 - 5:59 AM

Mikael Backlund will take a seat as a healthy scratch Friday.

He will relegated to the press box against Columbus, along with defenseman Chris Butler. They will be replaced by Roman Cervenka and Derek Smith in the Flames' lineup.
Mar 22 - 5:28 PM

Mikael Backlund did not miss a game with a cracked bone in his foot.

Backlund was injured on Friday and was seen after the game on crutches so it was naturally assumed that he would be out of action for a while. But x-rays revealed a cracked bone and not anything more serious so Backlund played 13:53 minutes. His three game point streak ended Monday but his teammates would have to admire his grit in playing with a cracked bone in his foot.
Mar 19 - 2:26 AM

Mikael Backlund (cracked bone in foot) could return to the Calgary lineup as early as Monday.

The Flames are in Dallas Monday to play the Stars and you may see Backlund in between Blake Comeau and Jiri Hudler after x-rays revealed that his foot injury suffered when he took a Kevin Klein shot off his foot Friday. "You feel bad for the guy," Comeau said about Backlund who has already missed 14 games this season with a knee injury. "He's had some tough luck with injuries last year and this year. He just adds that depth down the middle. We have some guys playing center who aren't natural centermen. So to have a guy like Backs who is a responsible player and plays hard every night — it's a big loss when he's not in the lineup." Backlund has seven points in 12 games thus far.
Mar 18 - 6:15 AM

A slight update on Mikael Backlund: he also has a bruise on his injured right foot.

It is described as a "crack in the bone" by the team. There still isn't much of a timetable behind the vague day-to-day reading, however.
Mar 17 - 1:41 PM

Mikael Backlund is dealing with a lower body injury.

Calgary hasn't provided many details yet, but Backlund had a boot on his right foot and was using crutches after Friday's game, so that's obviously a troubling sign. He was previously sidelined for four weeks this season due to an MCL sprain.
Source: Calgary Sun
Mar 16 - 2:57 PM

Mikael Backlund scored his fourth goal of the season in the Calgary Flames' 3-1 loss to Los Angeles.

This was his second game since coming back from a knee injury. In 10 appearances this season, Backlund has five points. The skill is there but it's consistency the young Swede needs to take the next step in being a top-six forward. He's worth a look in deeper leagues.
Mar 12 - 1:41 AM

Mikael Backlund (knee) has been activated off injured reserve by Calgary.

He hasn't played since Feb. 7 because of a knee injury. In eight games this season, Backlund has produced three goals and one assist.
Mar 9 - 3:38 PM

Mikael Backlund (knee) missed Wednesday's contest.

Backlund has now been out for a month, but he's getting close to returning. Consider him day-to-day at this point.
Mar 7 - 8:54 AM

Mikael Backlund (knee) skated in practice on Monday.

Backlund will wear a knee brace upon his return and is getting close to returning as he was wearing a yellow non-contact jersey in practice Monday. "Yeah, it feels good," Backlund said. "I can do everything. The next step is the contact, being able to battle and stuff and see how that feels. We'll see when that is, but it felt good (Monday). I've pushed hard two days now. Every day, waking up, it's been a better day. I'm happy with that and happy with the progress . . . faster than projected." Backlund has three goals and four points in eight games this season as it was looking like he was beginning to emerge as a good center before his injury but we would wait a couple of games to see how he plays before activating him.
Mar 5 - 6:15 AM

Mikael Backlund, who was just beginning to emerge as a bona fide top-six forward for Calgary, suffered a sprained knee in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets and will be out at least a month.

The 23-year-old center was placed on injured reserve Friday. For Backlund, who had scored three times in his first eight games, it’s his third significant injury since the beginning of last season. The Flames’ first-round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft missed nearly six weeks after breaking a finger in training camp in 2011-12. Then the skilled Swede suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in mid-February. "Thnx for all the great support #CofRed. I hope to be back ASAP and help the team making the playoffs!" Backlund wrote Friday evening on his Twitter account. According to the Flames, Backlund is officially out four-to-six weeks due to a Grade 2 sprain of his MCL. That’s a mouthful of medical mumbo-jumbo. It’s also a big chunk of action in a condensed schedule. If Backlund is, indeed, sidelined for the full six weeks, he’ll miss 20 games. "Obviously, it’s disappointing," said Flames GM Jay Feaster. "It’s disappointing for him. He’s frustrated."
Source: Calgary Sun
Feb 9 - 3:26 AM

Depth Charts

All Positions
PosRoleName
C1Matthew Stajan
2Mikael Backlund
3Roman Horak
4Steve Begin
5Max Reinhart
6Blair Jones
7Paul Byron
8Ben Street
LW1Alex Tanguay
2Lee Stempniak
3Curtis Glencross
4Sven Baertschi
5Ben Hanowski
6Carter Bancks
7Brian McGrattan
RW1Jiri Hudler
2Michael Cammalleri
3Akim Aliu
4Tim Jackman
D1Dennis Wideman
2Mark Giordano
3T.J. Brodie
4Chris Butler
5Derek Smith
6Cory Sarich
7Brett Carson
8Mark Cundari
G1Miikka Kiprusoff
2Joey MacDonald
3Karri Ramo