Calgary, AB – The
Calgary Flames announced today that they have signed forward
Mikael Backlund.
“Mikael has an opportunity to step-up and attempt to secure a top two-line center position with our club,” said Flames General Manager Jay Feaster. “He is a very talented player who skates well, has excellent vision and possesses a strong skill set. As we have discussed with him, Mikael needs to work on his consistency and his focus in order to break through in a top six role and start to define his role on our team. We are excited about the level of competition that should exist in camp this fall and we expect Mikael to be in the thick of those battles.”
Backlund, a native of Vasteras, Sweden, was the Flames’ first round pick (24th overall) in the 2007 NHL Draft. Last season he scored four goals and added seven assists for 11 points and 16 penalty minutes in 41 games with an injury shortened season. In 138 career games, Backlund has netted 15 goals and 31 assists for 46 points in 138 games.
Contract terms: One year contract with an AAV of $725,000