Flames Sign Captain To Extension

The Calgary Flames made an important signing, ensuring their captain has a deal before the season starts.

Nov 27, 2023; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Michael Amadio (22) battle for the puck during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images / Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames announced they have signed their captain, Mikael Backlund, to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.25 million, which will conclude at the end of the 2027-28 season.

Flames captain Mikael Backlund has signed a two-year extension with an AAV of $3.25M pic.twitter.com/wFK7Tq7LGv

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 17, 2025

Backlund, 36, has spent his entire 17-year career with the Flames, accumulating 215 goals and 348 assists for 563 points over 1066 games. He also chipped in 22 points in 42 career playoff games.

Set to enter the final year of his current two-year, $9 million contract, Backlund posted a 32-point season in 2024-25, while suiting up for 76 games. The Västerås, Sweden native has been the captain of the Flames for the last two seasons.

The veteran forward is very excited to continue helping the Flames try to earn some significant playoff success, as reported by the NHL.com staff.

"We're so excited as a family, we're thrilled to stay here," Backlund told the Flames website. "It's been a great ride, and we're so proud to be Calgarians and I'm proud to be a Calgary Flame. So, we're very thankful we got this deal done."

The Flames failed to qualify for the 2024-25 playoffs, despite fighting tooth and nail to the bitter end, but ultimately losing out thanks to the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild. Their 96-point finish tied for the most points by a team that failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Backlund, will look to guide a young team, led by forwards Matt Coronato (22), Joel Farabee (25) and Connor Zary (22). On the back end, their stud 2024 ninth overall selection Zayne Parekh will also be looking to break into the Flames lineup, and electrify with his elite skills.

Apr 15, 2025; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) skates during the warmup period against the Vegas Golden Knights at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images / Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

With a great blend of youth and some veteran presences throughout the lineup, the Flames and their captain will look to help out their franchise goaltender, Dustin Wolf, who hopes to prove that he and the Flames won't be pushed around and shouldn't be overlooked.

The captain's belief in the team can't be overstated, and it appears to have felt right for him to stick around, as the team was on the cusp last year. Now, they can use the fuel from the upset, to push the clubs to new heights.

In what is likely his final NHL deal, Backlund will look to go out on top, and the Flames will rely heavily on him to lead them.

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