Jason O. Watson – USA TODAY Sports
Young Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund will not get a chance to represent Sweden at the 2013 IIHF World Championship, after a fracture was found on his right foot during end-of-year medical testing. While this isn’t the best news for Backlund, it is good news for the Flames as they know he will have an entire offseason to heal and rest so he can come back stronger for the team next season.
Backlund managed to have a decent season, netting eight goals and adding eight assists in 32 games. The Flames struggled this season, and as they look to rebuild next year Backlund will be one of the young forwards they need more from. They selected Backlund in the first round of the 2007 draft, and seeing him have the second-best offensive season of his career is a step in the right direction. He has been limited by injuries the past two seasons, so getting a longer offseason with a chance to heal can only help his development.
The Flames still need to decide what they are willing to pay to keep Backlund around, as he will be a restricted free agent this summer. It’s hard to think they would part with him at this point, as he has shown continuing progress and especially since they have invested so much into his development. He also fits in well with the youth movement that will take place now that veteran like Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester have been traded, and veteran goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff is likely to retire.
Jonathan Katje is an NHL senior writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your circles on Google Plus.
