'Always An Honour'

STOCKHOLM - Last February? Disappointing.

Next February? Delightful - potentially.

Flames captain Mikael Backlund, who wasn't a member of Sweden's entry at the 4 Nations Face-Off a few months ago, should find himself firmly on the radar for coach Sam Hallam's Swedish squad at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics after a standout performance at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.

"I feel like coming here... me and Sam have never worked together before," Backlund said. "I don't know him and he doesn't know me. So for me to come here and play at the World Championships, I feel like it gives him an opportunity to get to know me as a player and person."

Can't hurt, for the future.

Probably could've helped in the past.

Backlund was oh-so-close to participating in the first best-on-best the hockey world's seen since the 2016 World Cup, but a late cut that couldn't dissuade the Västerås product from another spin with Sweden at the Worlds this May.

"Yeah, I was disappointed, but Team Sweden has so many good players so it's hard to make the team," he said. "But I was excited. Obviously, I wanted to make the playoffs in Calgary. We had the same points. We should've, almost. Once that kind of settled I felt like I wanted to come home and play."

It was a positive showing, to say the least.

Backlund was one of just four Swedes to average at least a point-per-game for the bronze medalists, netting nine points (3G, 6A)) in his first Worlds experience since captaining his country to gold at the 2018 tournament in Copenhagen.

He's already got one vote for a hopeful Italian excursion nine months from now.

A familiar vouch.

"He was really good," said Calgary blueliner Rasmus Andersson, who doubled as Sweden's captain at the Worlds. "He shows the way. He's a hell of a player and a hell of a leader, too. I think Sam, our coach, said it too when he selected the team, he was one of the last cuts before 4 Nations. You never know what the coaches are thinking, but in my opinion he should probably be on that Olympic squad."

The coach could potentially be persuaded.

To hear him tell it, his premier peek at Backlund was a positive one.

"It’s been really great getting to know (Backlund) a bit better," Hallam told the Swedish media contingent. "I understand why so many people speak so highly of him now that I’ve had the chance to study and work with him during a World Championship on home soil. He’s an awesome guy. He does a fantastic job on the ice. Smart."

Hallam had a front-row seat for Backlund's foray at Worlds, which saw utilization on both sides of special teams in addition to forming Sweden's most potent pair with another familiar face in Elias Lindholm. Alongside Backlund, the former Flame fronted Sweden's scoring success with a team-leading eight goals and 14 points.

He's another endorser of a European excursion for Backlund.

"Yeah, for sure," Lindholm said. "You want pro players in tournaments like that. I think he's a good guy for that. He's a big voice in the room as well.

"He's a good player.

"I think obviously playing with a guy like that, it kind of frees me up and the players around him because he plays with a lot of responsibilities and makes the game easy. It was a good tournament and nice to play with him."

It's nothing new when Backlund pulls on the yellow and blue.

In helping Sweden to bronze, he added to his haul.

In total, Backlund has gold, silver, and a trio of bronzes when suiting up for Sweden at the World Championship. He's a two-time silver medalist at the World Junior Championship, and won bronze with Sweden at the World Under-18 Championship, too.

An Olympic medal would add to the collection - if there's room for him next February.

"It's always an honour and pleasure to play for Sweden," Backlund said.

"Hopefully that helps me in the future."