Backlund to lead Flames into new arena after signing two-year extension

It was never in doubt for the Calgary Flames’ captain.

On Wednesday, Mikael Backlund put pen to paper on a two-year extension ($3.25 million average annual value) that’ll keep him at the Saddledome–and the Flames’ new home–through the 2027-28 campaign.

Backlund, the emotional leader on the team for years and captain since the 2023-24 season, spoke of his reasoning to essentially remain a Flame for his entire career. While he admitted that there had been ups and downs since being drafted in the first round in 2007, Backlund’s been buoyed recently by the vision general manager Craig Conroy has.

Calgary stunned many by remaining in playoff contention until Game 81 last season, and both feel they can build off that momentum where they alluded to outside expectations still being modest.

“We had a good talk at the end of last year and let it sit for the summer,” Backlund said, of when discussions on a new agreement first began. He then reached out to the GM right after he returned to the city.

“I called Connie and said, ‘We want to say.’”

The feeling was mutual.

“No pressure either way,” Conroy said of the approach. “‘We’d like to have you back and you’ve earned the right to make your own decision.”

In his ex-teammate Backlund, Conroy has the quintessential captain for a Flames squad that has both a core of under-26-year-olds (Dustin Wolf, Kevin Bahl, Connor Zary, Matthew Coronato) and veterans over 30 (Backlund, Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Blake Coleman) signed long-term. Backlund remains valuable on the ice as a defensive, penalty-killing forward. He’s vocal publicly and privately when needed. Backlund is an ambassador for the city and does countless hours of community work with his wife, Frida.

“With Backs, we know each other,” Conroy said of their 15-year relationship.

“He puts everybody ahead of himself, but he wants to do what’s best for the team…he can go to players, challenge players…it’s just that nice to have that security blanket for me personally.”

Conroy has always felt it paramount that the Flames’ new core be surrounded with quality vets. Coronato and Wolf mentioned the culture and environment after they recently signed their long-term extensions, which was cultivated in large part by No. 11.

“Backs is exactly what we want in our captain and our leader,” Conroy said, “and it sets an example of where we want to go as an organization.”

Since making his NHL debut in the 2008-09 campaign, Backlund has toiled in the charming, but antiquated Saddledome. He mentioned the allure of the new rink on several occasions Wednesday afternoon, despite the new building’s construction currently making the commute longer for players, fans, and even media.

“I drove out there today and it’s kind of a pain,” he said with a smile.

“It’s super exciting for the whole city and organization…to be a small part of that is really exciting. Spending a lot of years here in the Saddledome, it’s going to be really cool to step into a brand new arena. At the time, probably the best arena in the NHL, have every recovery [tool], the best locker room, all that. It’s going to be really cool.”

Backlund’s extension is far from a modest hand-out to a franchise legend.

Last season, he led all Flames’ forwards in shorthanded time-on-ice. Backlund was also among head coach Ryan Huska’s most-valuable shutdown forwards. Eight of the last nine seasons, he’s earned votes for the Selke Trophy given to the NHL’s best defensive forward.

For years, players like Coronato, Zary, and even Matthew Tkachuk have started their careers as his winger and been better off for it. Conroy alluded to the captain again finishing near the top of this season’s fitness testing, another indicator that the Swede isn’t slowing down.

“He can probably keep going after this contract, but we’ll get these three years down and then go from there,” Conroy said with a laugh.

Should Backlund remain relatively healthy through the 2027-28 season, he’ll add another milestone to his storied Calgary Flames career. He’s just 154 games from catching Hall of Fame forward Jarome Iginla for the most-ever in Calgary colours.

“He said, ‘We can sit him right, so he can only get to 152?’” Conroy said of Iginla’s reaction.

“You saw Jarome’s how longevity and what he meant to the city and everything, both on and off the ice and you’re thinking, ‘No one’s really going to catch Jarome.’ I think now that we’re sitting here with this contract, it’s in sight.”