'IT'S A VERY COOL MILESTONE'

We all have those old photos of ours that - as the kids all say - didn't age well.
Even for a pro like Mikael Backlund.
"It's pretty sweet, isn't it?" the forward laughed of his early-2000's, boy band-inspired, 'razor-edge' hairstyle. "The spikes! I guess that was my style back then.
"And then I went to the long hair. Did you like that better, my flow for the first few years? You've got to try things out, you know?"
Fortunately, the man's game has matured much better over the years better than his infamous draft photo.
Tonight - and on the eve of his 33rd birthday - Backlund will become the franchise's all-time leader in games played among players drafted by the Flames organization.

"It's a very cool milestone," said Backlund, who will pass Al MacInnis with his 804th career appearance in red silks. "It feels very special to play for that long for one franchise. I'm very thankful to a lot of people along the way here in Calgary to help me get to where I am today."
Fifteen years with one organization is basically unheard of in today's game.
The business side, including a salary cap, max term, and performance-based factors make player movement more common than ever before. And, typically, individual careers are shorter nowadays, too.
But Backlund is special.
He's given everything to this franchise, invested himself in the community, and still plays a key role on a team that has a chance to win it all this year.
Back in 2007, then-GM Darryl Sutter could see there was a player here.
"No. 1, for sure, was hockey sense," Sutter explained of the Swede's draft pedigree. "Hockey IQ, you always look for it. There are guys that go fast, but they get the puck and aren't sure what's going on, can't read plays, stuff like that. Doesn't matter what position it is. So, you've got to have great hockey IQ and you have to have the skill-set to along with that IQ."
From Flames Communications Director Sean Kelso "staring (him) down" before he taken in the first round, 24th overall, to that memorable first meeting with Sutter on stage, Backlund has fond memories of his draft-day experience.
And the 'do?
Sutter ensured it was left unfettered.
"I remember walking on stage and I put my hat on and Darryl goes, 'No, that's for baseball players,' Backlund laughed. "That's why I'm not wearing my hat in my draft picture.
"That was Darryl. You all know Darryl. He was dead serious, too, when he said it. It's not like I was going to put it on then!
"It was a special day, a special night.
"Pretty cool I'm still here."

Backlund spoke with the media this morning at the Scotiabank Saddledome and reflected on his 804-game voyage:
Q: Wes Gilbertson, Postmedia: If you can take us back real quick, what sticks out in your memory about draft day:
A: "I remember my Swedish agent was sitting next to me, my mom and dad. He pointed out that the Swedish scout - Anders Steen - was going up on stage. We were pretty sure a Swedish player was going to be picked now and there was me and two other guys that were ranked around the same. ... I got my hopes up. I was going into the draft hoping to get drafted by a Canadian team or a nice and sunny place. Turned out pretty good, you know, getting picked by Calgary."
Q: Pat Steinberg, Sportsnet960 THE FAN: What was it like early on dealing with expectations of being a first-round pick. What that something that was difficult early on?
A: "At times, yeah. Super excited, first (of all), to be drafted in the first round to a Canadian team. I didn't play as well as I wanted for the men's pro team back home and I started to feel the heat a little bit. Then I had a good World Juniors - two good World Juniors - before I moved over here. But playing at home, I wasn't performing, so yeah, it did get to me a little bit. Moving to Kelowna was a big step for me and that really helped me to get to play against all the good players over here and performing well and make me feel really good about myself. Then, again, I had a pretty hard time in the minors in Abbotsford.
"There were times where I was definitely doubting if I was going to make it. I came into camp hoping to make the team and that fall it felt so far away, the NHL. I was really excited when I got called up there in January."
Q: Peter Loubardias, Sportsnet960 THE FAN: Are you as hungry right now to win in the NHL and in the playoffs as you ever have been?
A: "Coming into the league you're trying to make a name for yourself and earn that spot - and to play in the NHL is a dream and it's so surreal. Eventually, all you want is to win and the older you get, the more you want to win because you know the chances are harder and harder and it gets less and less.
"I have a great feeling about this group this year."