Backlund Article from the Calgary Herald

[eecliff]

Flames prospect may join Kelowna


By Ian Walker, Canwest News ServiceJanuary 6, 2009

The Kelowna Rockets look to have turned up the heat on the Western Hockey League trade deadline.

Canwest News Service has learned that Swedish centre Mikael Backlund is expected to join the WHL club sometime this week.

Backlund, a first-round pick of the Calgary Flames, is considered one of the best NHL prospects not playing in North America.

"We're trying to figure everything out right now. The main issue is if Calgary can properly recall him if necessary," said J. P. Barry, Backlund's agent. "Realistically, Calgary has the right to bring him to Calgary, Quad Cities (the Flames'AHL affiliate) or Kelowna.Probably the best situation for him to play a lot of games and a lot of minutes will be Kelowna."

Speculation was rampant that Backlund would not return to Vasteras, in the second tier of the Swedish Elite League, upon completion of the world junior hockey championship in Ottawa.

Reports out of Sweden indicated there was a rift between the 19-year-old and the club, with Vasteras threatening to cut Backlund due to poor play.

Backlund has four goals and four assists in 17 games, playing on the team's third-line. He excelled in the playoffs last season with six goals and nine points in 14 games. His reduced role is believed to be punishment for wanting to play in North America next season.

Backlund, Barry, Flames general manager Darryl Sutter and Rockets president Bruce Hamilton are to meet to discuss the potential move.

"We're all going to get together after the tournament and make a final decision," said Barry. "More than likely, it looks like that (joining the Rockets) will be accomplished."

Kelowna has until Saturday's WHL trade deadline to sign the talented Swede.

[Rockets1231]

This will be a huge addition to the Rockets, and with Lazaruk starting to come around and Brown showing he can win games, it turns Kelowna back into a contender for the WHL Title like they were supposed to be before the season. If only Luke had not made the Leafs...

[eecliff]

Here’s a post I just read from the Rockets boards.
Hopefully we’ll know more in an hour or so when Bruce Hamilton arrives at Kelowna Airport with Benn, Myers and Novotny.


Backlund confirmed!!!
January 6 2009 at 7:25 PM Big Ben

Just heard Darryl Sutter on Calgary sports radio show. Backlund is in Calgary with Sutter right now. Will watch some Flames games this week and then off to Kelowna once all required immigration paperwork is done. Next week he will be the newest member of the Kelowna Rockets.

http://www.fan960.com/more.jsp?content=20090106_221339_30964

[dagley]

SWEET! But damn, I am an avid Flames fan and was born in Calgary...to bad Kelowna doesn't make the trip here this year :(

[Hitmen1]

Sportsnet interviewed Backlund last night during the Flames broadcast and Mikael said its up to the Flames where he plays.

[Hitmen1]

The Flames have announced this afternoon that Backlund is on his way to the Rockets.

[eecliff]

Great news for the Rockets !
http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=403580

[Malc]

By Doyle Potenteau

A big reception it wasn't for Mikael Backlund last night. Come Wednesday evening, though, it'll be a much different story.

On Sunday, the Calgary Flames announced they were re-assigning Backlund to the WHL and Kelowna Rockets, then promptly sent him to the Okanagan. At Kelowna International Airport, only three people were on hand to greet the Swedish forward following his brief trip: Kelowna Rockets president and GM Bruce Hamilton, head coach Ryan Huska and forward Cody Almond.

"I'm really looking forward to playing in Kelowna," said Backlund, who was drafted 24th overall by Calgary and should receive a big applause on Wednesday night when the Rockets play host to the Tri-City Americans at Prospera Place. "I'm glad I decided to come here because it's going to be a lot of fun. I just hope I can help the team win the Western Hockey League and go to the Memorial Cup."

Compared to the reception Tyler Myers and Jamie Benn received last Tuesday after helping Canada win gold at the 2009 world junior hockey championship, where scores of people turned out to welcome them home, Backlund's reception was small. However, when it comes to Backlund's skill and hype, there's nothing tiny.

For the past two weeks, there's been big speculation that Backlund would wind up playing junior hockey in Canada.

In December, various reports said the men's team he was playing on – Vasteras, a second-division team of the Swedish Elite League – had relegated him to third-line duty. This season, he had four goals and four assists in 17 games.

At the world junior tournament in Ottawa, Backlund netted five goals and seven points in six games. In 2007, the Rockets landed Backlund's rights by selecting him 43rd overall in the CHL's 2007 import draft – just after Calgary selected him in the first round.

"I remember getting drafted by Kelowna and I was pretty surprised," said Backlund. "Two days before, I told (Calgary) I didn't want to play (junior) because I didn't think I was going to be drafted. And then I wound up getting drafted. So, now I'm here and I'm pretty excited.

"In the spring, I was really thinking about what I was going to do this season. I had an option to play here, but I thought ’Ahhh, I'm not going to do that. I'm too shy. Maybe not this year, but next year I'll play in North America.' But now I'm here, and I feel pretty good about my choice."

As for what he knows about Kelowna, Backlund admitted limited knowledge.

"Everybody told me it's a really good city and that it has the best winter weather in Canada," said Backlund. "It also has a good arena and a good team with good players. It's going to be good. (The North American) game fits me better than playing in bigger rinks. I like intense, faster games."

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=157627