"It's out of my hands": Backlund gives cryptic answer about Flames future
It certainly doesn’t feel as though Mikael Backlund wants to remain a part of the Calgary Flames organization.
The 34-year-old was in Nashville last night for the NHL Awards, where he was named the King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner. While it was certainly admirable, it wasn’t his trophy win that had fans talking.
Many in Calgary have been dying to know whether or not Backlund will be signing an extension with the Flames. It is the only organization he has played for in his 908-game career, but reports have come out recently suggesting he may prefer moving on. When asked about his future on Monday, he gave an evasive answer.
“It’s out of my hands,” Backlund said. “I’ve had discussions with Craig [Conroy] and my agent and we’ll see what happens. I’ve got one more year with Calgary and it’s not my decision if I stay [next season] or not.”
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Backlund has one more year remaining on his contract, carrying a cap hit of $5.35 million. Despite the deal not being up yet, some believe the Flames should look to shift toward a rebuild, and moving Backlund would undoubtedly help in that regard.
As far as interest in the open market, there would be plenty for Backlund. This past season was arguably his best as an NHLer, as he scored 19 goals along with a career-high 56 points in 82 games. His defensive play didn’t slip at all with the additional offence, as he placed sixth last night in Selke Trophy voting.
Along with questions surrounding Backlund’s future, there are a number of other Flames players who sit in similar positions such as Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm, and Tyler Toffoli. Like Backlund, they all have just one year remaining on their contracts, and all seem hesitant at best to sign extensions. Barring some change of hearts, there could be a lot of changes to the Flames’ roster this summer.