Flames Season Review: Mikael Backlund

The NHL holiday break is over but we're still looking at each and every member of the Calgary Flames, and what their season has been like so far. Today, we're profiling Mikael Backlund.

There are no grades — this isn't high school — but these quick-and-dirty glimpses into their season illustrate where they're at ahead of the calendar flip from 2024 to 2025.

Name: Mikael Backlund

Position: Center

Stats: 6 goals, 10 assists, 16 pts., plus-6, 3 PPP, 95 SOG, 6.3 SH%

Summary: There was a time when much uncertainty surrounded Mikael Backlund's time as a member of the Calgary Flames. But with an extension that came with the captaincy, Backlund all but secured his status as a Flame for life.

Even before officially wearing the 'C' Backlund was the epitome of consistency and leadership. In his 16th NHL season, Backlund continues to embrace his as the Flames' — and one of the league's — best and most-trusted two-way centers; a position that helped him define his career.

His offensive numbers have never been flashy, but on a team that has been among the lower scoring clubs for many years, he's often in the top five for the Flames. He's on pace for around 40 points this season — which is at the lower end of his career range — but Backlund is still arguably the most important player on the team.

His leadership skills are part of it, but he's also a guy the other Flames players want to win for. Although they didn't come through in his 1,000th NHL game in Utah this season, they rallied in the next game at home where the Flames franchise celebrated the milestone with all the pomp and circumstance Backlund deserved.

Backlund set a record that may never be duplicated by future Flames as the only Calgary-drafted player to skate in 1,000 games with the franchise.

Much of his work involves thankless work (or at least less celebrated outside the Flames locker-room). Neutralizing the opposition’s top players is what has made him indispensable for the Flames.