Flames legend Iginla rooting for Backlund to break this franchise ...
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Now into quadruple digits, now with a commemorative silver stick to hang on his wall at home, the next major games-played target for Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund is 1,220.
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That is the total required to eclipse Jarome Iginla’s franchise record.
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“That would be pretty cool to beat Jarome,” Backlund allowed. “I mean, what a player he was, and such a legend in Calgary.”
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These two were teammates for parts of five seasons at the Saddledome.
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In fact, when the Flames selected Backlund in the first round of the 2007 NHL Draft, many envisioned him as Iginla’s eventual centre on the top line. While they didn’t skate side-by-side all that often, they now share a perch in the club history books — the only players to log 1,000-plus regular-season appearances in the Flaming C logo.
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Backlund hit that milestone in Wednesday’s lopsided loss in Utah. He was presented with his silver stick — one of the NHL’s coolest traditions — prior to Friday’s home date with the New Jersey Devils.
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And now … next stop 1,220?
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“I definitely would be happy for him,” said Iginla, who also reigns as Calgary’s all-time leader in goals and points — it will be a long while before there is a threat to either of those marks — and is now working with the Flames’ hockey-ops brain-trust as special adviser to the general manager. “If people are going to break a record or whatever that milestone number is, I think it’s cool when you know them as a friend and a teammate. So I’m pulling for him and I’m excited for him, and I think he’s got lots left.”
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A lot will need to go right for Backlund to bump Iginla into second spot on this particular list.
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He needs to remain healthy. It’s a good sign that the 35-year-old won the fittest Flame crown this fall, something that Iginla made a habit of during his own heyday. As Backlund told reporters Friday: “I feel better physically today than I did when I first came in the league as a rookie.”
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He needs to remain effective. This shutdown centre and ace penalty-killer led all Flames forwards in average ice time during the month of October, so he’s certainly showing that he can still be leaned on for a major workload.
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He would need at least one more contract with the club. Given his reputation in the locker-room and the community, given that the ‘C’ is stitched on his jersey, that hardly seems far-fetched.
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If Backlund remains an every-night lineup lock, he could potentially hit 1,220 GP during the late stages of the 2026-27 campaign, right around his 38th birthday, although he seemed to hint that the early portion of 2027-28 might be more realistic.
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“I love playing in Calgary and if I can play that many games, that probably means I’m playing in the new arena, as well, so that would be very special,” Backlund said. “I’m going to keep doing what I can to stay healthy and keep up with the young players so I can stay in this league as long as I want to.”
