MILAN — Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund, one of the rare NHL players who says he’d only want to play in Canada, wants to finish his career as a Calgary Flame.

That means the 36-year-old center, who’s entering his 17th full season, is hoping to sign an extension as he enters the second year of a two-year deal. But he knows that likely won’t be the same for longtime teammate Rasmus Andersson.

“Yeah, he’s getting traded. It’s obvious,” Backlund said at the NHL player media tour in Europe. “But the team wants value. He wants a big contract. So he wants to play well. The team needs him to play well. So, just go out and play. I talked to him, too, and he doesn’t want to be a distraction. So it’s all good. It’s too bad it’s come to this. I don’t think that they’re close to getting an agreement or anything, but you never know. Things could change. We’ll see.”

It was a mostly quiet offseason for the Flames after coming close to making the playoffs. In fact, if Joel Eriksson Ek didn’t score with 20.9 seconds left in regulation in Minnesota’s season finale against Anaheim, the Flames would have made it over the Wild.

“We almost made the playoffs and were the second-lowest scoring team (in the league),” Backlund said. “I know they were trying to add some top scoring. We play hard. We made it hard on teams, and that’s what we have to do this year again. Win as a collective. Could we use an extra sniper or something? Yes, of course. I know they tried it. But also I like that (Craig Conroy) and management told me, ‘We’re not going to sign players just to sign players.’ Like, if we don’t get the top guys or the players we think are going to help us, we’re not going to just get someone.

“I feel like the group we had last year was really good. Great bond, close group. Everyone bought into the way we play, and we’re going to have to do that again. Buy into it. And the standards are higher this year than last year.”

Holmstrom meets with Darche

By sheer coincidence, new New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche was staying at one of the two hotels in Milan that hosted the media tour at the tail end of a vacation with his wife and two sons.

Darche found out that young, talented forward Simon Holmstrom was representing the Isles there, texted him, and after his daylong duties, Holmstrom was able to meet face-to-face with Darche for the first time in the hotel’s lobby.

“Very different,” Holmstrom said, laughing, regarding Darche and longtime NHL exec Lou Lamoriello, Darche’s predecessor. “I think Darchy comes on and maybe (has) a new mindset and wants to do things a little different, and I think that might be a good thing. I’m very excited to work under him.”

Holmstrom, in his second full season, scored 20 goals and 25 assists in 2024-25. The 24-year-old wants to improve upon that, but said he’s all about the team.

“Last season was a disappointment, not making the playoffs, and I think we all felt that,” Holmstrom said. “I think we’re all looking for redemption and revenge. I don’t think there’s anything else than making the playoffs and making a run for the Cup, and I think we definitely have all the pieces to do it.”

Mathieu Darche was hired as GM of the Islanders in May. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)Hischier: Devils are ‘right there’

As captain, Nico Hischier was proud that the New Jersey Devils didn’t crumble when Jack Hughes was lost for the season after the 4 Nations Face-Off. They were 33-23-6 at the time and finished 42-33-7 to claim third place in the Metropolitan Division.

“It was impressive,” Hischier said. “Obviously, we all felt for Jack. He was devastated. And everybody that plays with Jack knows how bad he wants to win — how bad he wants to help our team win a Cup — so for him to go down during our playoff push was a tough pill to swallow.

“But just the way we saw how other guys stepped up, how we found each other again and just made the playoffs, it shows how much we have guys that care. Our best player goes down, and we didn’t throw our hands up and be like, ‘OK, that’s our season.’ We got together and kept going.”

But Hischier says it’s time for New Jersey to really make a postseason impression.

“We’re right there,” he said. “Yeah, it’s still a process. Like, we’re not stupid. We’re still young and growing, but we’re coming toward the years where there could be a window, and, I mean, we’ve gotta understand that we are a good team if we play a certain way, and with our fast style of game, we need to find a game where we can win games when it counts.”

Forsberg on Josi, Predators

As Roman Josi’s close friend, Filip Forsberg is just happy the star Nashville Predators defenseman finally got some clarity on what he was dealing with when he was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) following a concussion last season. He said Josi is doing well in his training and the expectation is he’ll be ready for training camp, although it’s still up in the air whether he’ll represent the Predators in Las Vegas at the North American player media tour next month.

“It was tough because I’ve dealt with a fair share of head stuff that he was dealing with a little bit, too,” Forsberg said. “Whatever he’s dealing with, at least he found the right people (to) talk to about it. Started his treatment program, and I feel like he’s doing great at this point, too. I’m sure he’s learned a lot because I’m assuming he’s been dealing with this for years, just kind of not knowing what it is and why things keep happening.”

Forsberg said it’s still hard to pinpoint why things came off the rails early last season after an offseason in which Nashville brought in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei.

“It’s not like there was something that I would immediately switch and change,” Forsberg said. “We had a great group of guys. Team is really tight. Just got off to a bad start and were out of it by Christmas. Maybe expectations got to us a little bit. You get off to a bad start, and everybody starts questioning everything. It’s the only thing I can really think of, that we thought it was going to be easy, that we were able to out-skill teams, and early on, we didn’t really play hard enough.

“But we were in a bad spot somewhat early. I like the fact (Barry Trotz) didn’t blow it up completely or that Trotzy didn’t go all in even more, too. Like, he could have gone out and swung for some of the big people in free agency, but we didn’t really do much, which I think is good. Because I’d like to get another year with this group.”

Filip Forsberg (right) is glad Roman Josi (left) got some clarity on his health issues. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)Chytil says he’s ‘100 percent’

Filip Chytil has a long history of concussions, so many were horrified to watch him experience another last March when he was hit from behind by Chicago’s Jason Dickinson. He missed the rest of the season. But the Vancouver Canucks forward was cleared to train before the summer and enters this year’s camp 100 percent, he said.

“I feel great, and hopefully it’s gonna be like this for a lot of years,” Chytil said. “I feel ready for camp. Professionally, yeah, I couldn’t play. I was off the ice, and I couldn’t do what I love, and personally, it was harder for probably people around me — for my wife and for the family — because I know how I feel, but they don’t know that, and they don’t see me on the ice.

“The good days were switching to bad days. But my family was always there for me, supporting me, and they were hoping that I’ll be back as soon as possible. And now I feel great.”

Lindholm, too

Similarly, after getting hurt last November, suffering a setback and missing the rest of the year, Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm said he’s 100 percent and is hoping he and Charlie McAvoy, who got hurt in the 4 Nations Face-Off, can stabilize the back end for the Bruins.

“I feel like I got off playing my best hockey last year and I just want to show the fans of Boston I’m the same player,” Lindholm said.

Kulich oversleeps

The future should be bright for Jiri Kulich with the Buffalo Sabres after a 15-goal rookie year, but we do have to remember he’s 21.

“Like, he was late this morning, which is why so many of us were late,” said Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, laughing. “Just overslept.”

Kulich laughed when told UPL threw him under the bus.

“Yeah, I don’t know what happened,” Kulich said.

But he’s looking forward to a better year for the Sabres, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2011.

“I think I can be the goal scorer,” Kulich said, before a wry smile. “You know, I never played defense before I came here to the U.S., so I really had a tough two years in Rochester to figure out how to defend. I think I’m doing a pretty good job. But I could see myself as a two-way center, goal scorer.”

(Top photo of Rasmus Andersson and Mikael Backlund: David Kirouac / Imagn Images)