Flames’ Mikael Backlund week-to-week with lower-body injury

The Calgary Flames announced Friday that captain Mikael Backlund will be sidelined on a week-to-week basis after suffering a lower-body injury.

Facing the Pacific Division rival Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, Backlund exited midway through the first period and did not return after sustaining the injury. On the season, Backlund has made 64 appearances with the Flames in which he has registered 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points to rank sixth in team scoring. Backlund also ranks first among Calgary forwards in averaging 2:23 in shorthanded ice time per game, first with 32 takeaways, and third with 39 blocked shots.

Originally chosen 24th overall by the Flames in the 2007 NHL Draft, the 35-year-old Swedish-born forward has spent his entire career in Calgary, totaling 1,054 career contests in which he has recorded 211 goals and 344 assists for 555 points. In all, only Flames legend Jarome Iginla has played more games than Backlund, while his 555 career points rank seventh-best in franchise history. On three occasions, Backlund has scored 20 or more goals, while he has also twice reached the 50-point plateau, highlighted by a career-best 56-point finish in 2022-23 when he notched 19 goals and 37 assists through 82 appearances. Backlund has also added 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points through 42 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Per PuckPedia, Backlund is in the first year of a two-year contract that carries a $4.5-million annual average value.

On the season, the Flames stand 30-23-11 to hold down the second wildcard seed in the Western Conference with 71 points, just ahead of Vancouver due to the games played tiebreaker. Following Wednesday’s shootout loss to the Canucks, the Flames will look to return to the win column Friday when the club takes on the Colorado Avalanche. The Flames have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs once in the past four seasons.