By Dhiren Mahiban /
Mikael Backlund took the WHL by storm last season arriving in Kelowna mid-season and helping the Rockets to a successful playoff run. Now, the 20-year-old native of Sweden is in his first season with the Abbotsford Heat and trying to adjust his game to the pro level.
Calgary drafted the centre with the 24th overall selection at the 2007 NHL Draft and last season, Backlund managed to score 12 goals and 30 points in just 28 games with Kelowna.
This season, Backlund has seven goals and seven helpers through the first 32 games of the AHL schedule while adapting to the new game.
“It’s a different league, its been a bit of a slow start because it’s a little bit of a different game up here in the AHL compared to the WHL,” said Backlund.
“After about four or five games, I got into it a bit more, just learning more about consistency—that’s the key to being a good player in the AHL and the NHL too.”
Backlund, who averaged over a point a game last year, says he’s not worried about the reduced production.
“I don’t really care about it, I just try and go out there and do my work, play as good as I can. I haven’t been playing as good as I can, but it’s not the points I care about, it’s my game, my play that I worry about.
“I’ve been too inconsistent so I’m trying to work on that.”
Backlund added 13 goals and 23 points in 19 playoff games last season with the Rockets, but don’t let the numbers fool you, according to Heat head coach Jim Playfair, Backlund is not a finesse player – he’s a hard worker.
“I think the misconception everyone has about Mikael is that he’s a really skilled top-end guy—he’s not,” said Playfair. “He’s a boy that has to work really hard and he has to push up the tempo of his game without the puck.”
In adjusting to the AHL game, both Backlund and Playfair agree the pace needs to be elevated.
“I think its been okay,” said Playfair of Backlund’s transition. “He still has to do a lot of things at a lot higher tempo. I think he has to still get stronger and more competitive on pucks, but overall I think his transition has been okay.”
NEWS & NOTES
The Heat’s Sunday night tilt against the Peoria Rivermen (St. Louis Blues affiliate) was the team’s inaugural teddy bear toss – a night that fans were asked to bring a teddy bear to the game that will be donated to the Abbotsford Christmas Bureau.
The Heat closeout the 2009 portion of their schedule with a pair of tilts in Manitoba against the Moose on Dec. 27 and 28. |