Mikael Backlund Contract A Huge Steal For Calgary Flames

Mikael Backlund and the Calgary Flames agreed to a three year contract extension yesterday and though his offensive numbers aren’t huge, an annual average salary of $3.575 million, it is a huge steal for the Flames to get Backlund at this price.

Backlund has proven over the past three seasons to be a very valuable middle of the lineup center, who has filled in admirably on the second line. He scored 27 points in 52 games last season, and has averaged between 0.5 and 0.52 points per game each of the past three seasons.

The Swedish center may not have lived up to the offensive acumen that was promised when he was drafted in the first round, 24th overall in the 2007 NHL Draft. However, Backlund…