Mikael Backlund has been a fixture in Calgary’s lineup for well over a decade as the center has suited up in over 900 games for them over parts of 15 seasons.
Along the way, it has widely been expected that the 34-year-old would be someone who sticks with the Flames for his entire career. However, speaking with reporters recently (video link), Backlund expressed some hesitance in committing to signing another deal with them this summer:
I’ve been here for a long time and I love Calgary, I love this organization. But the year that we had, I’m 34 years old and I want to win the Stanley Cup and I … I don’t know this summer what’s going to happen, if they even offer me anything. I might want to see what this group can do before I make a decision.
It’s worth noting that Backlund has one more year remaining on his deal, a pact that carries a $5.35M AAV and a 21-team no-trade clause so in the short term, he probably isn’t going anywhere.
Interestingly, in a season where not a lot went right for Calgary, things certainly went well for Backlund as he potted 19 goals and 37 assists while playing all 82 games, setting new career highs in assists and points in the process.
The Flames were in the bottom half of the league offensively but while others struggled, Backlund did quite well. So much so, in fact, that he could be in line to command a similar price tag to his current deal on an extension, a scenario that wouldn’t have been realistic even a year ago.
It’s telling that Backlund hinted at wanting to see what happens with this group before deciding on if he wants to remain with the only NHL organization he has ever played for.
Things haven’t gone well for Calgary in the past year with Johnny Gaudreau leaving in free agency and Matthew Tkachuk indicating he wouldn’t sign a long-term agreement after the playoffs last season.
Their acquisitions in that swap — winger Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar — both underachieved. They entered this season as a speculative contender and finished outside the playoffs altogether.
When things don’t go as planned, players understandably aren’t as openly enthusiastic about the prospect of sticking around; Elias Lindholm, in the same contractual situation as Backlund, was even less committal (video link) about his future.
"We’ll see what happens. I have one more year and I’m gonna look at it that way. I have one more year, and that’s all I can say."
That type of response from Lindholm isn’t entirely surprising given that he’s likely heading for a max-term agreement on his next contract so it’s understandable that he might want to see what the market brings in 2024.
But for Backlund, a player who many thought would be a ‘forever Flame’, to be hesitant about an early extension is a sign of how much they’ve fallen over the past year and indicative of the team needing a busy summer to restore some faith in its direction.
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