Mikael Backlund

Shoots left · 37 years old

	GamesGP	GoalsG	AssistsA	PointsP	ShotsSOG	Ice timeTOI
This season	4	1	0	1	17	17:15
Last season	82	17	26	43	186	17:57

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Role

Where he fits on Calgary right now.

Line: L3 with J. Farabee and Y. Sharangovich · 11:51 a game together
Power play: Not on either unit
Penalty kill: Starts the kill 12 of 12 kills · 1:03 a kill · starts 10 · takes the draw
Ice time: 17:15 a game, most among Calgary forwards · 13:33 5-on-5 · 3:12 PK
Competition: Tougher opponents than 94% of forwards · home 98%, road 61%
About average among forwards

Where he stands out

What he does better or worse than most players at his position.

Better than most at his position

Shooting volume2nd
20.5 shot attempts /60better than 99% of centers
Staying out of the box
0.34 penalties taken /60better than 94% of forwards
Hardest shot
93.5 mphharder than 94% of centers
Creating his own chances
0.86 expected goals /60better than 89% of centers

Behind most at his position

Drawing penalties
0.37 penalties drawn /60behind 98% of forwards
Shot blocking
blocking score 561.48 blocks /60behind 93% of centersfewer than 91% of centers
Power-play chances
1.67 expected goals /60behind 88% of forwards

Listed only when we can be confident he is above or below average. Numbers from this season and last, through Oct 10. Compared with forwards who have played at least 20 games over the two seasons.

Better than most at his position

Shooting volumeTop 5
18.5 shot attempts /60better than 98% of centers
Hardest shotTop 10
90.8 mphharder than 97% of centers
Creating his own chancesTop 10
0.92 expected goals /60better than 95% of centers
Time in the offensive zone
45.0% of his timemore than 87% of forwards

Behind most at his position

Nothing yet where we can be confident he is below most forwards.

Listed only when we can be confident he is above or below average. Numbers from this season, through Oct 10. Compared with forwards who have played at least 3 games.

All ratings

Every rating, against other forwards.

Mikael BacklundAverage forwardLikely range

This season’s 4 games blended with last season’s 82, and pulled toward the average forward by an amount that depends on how quickly each rating settles.

Shooting volume, creating his own chances, shot blocking, hardest shot and distance skated compare centers with centers, because centers and wingers really differ there. Everything else compares all forwards.

This season’s 4 games only, pulled toward the average forward. Expect wide ranges this early.

Driving play at 5-on-5

Creating chances
Along for the rideDrives play
−0.04 expected goals /60bottom 36%
+0.07 expected goals /60top 36%
Preventing chances
Chances against riseShuts it down
−0.13 expected goals against /60top 15%
+0.03 expected goals against /60bottom 35%

Scoring

Shooting volume2nd Top 5
Rarely shootsFires away
20.5 shot attempts /60top 1%
18.5 shot attempts /60top 2%
Creating his own chancesTop 10
Few chancesDangerous
0.86 expected goals /60top 11%
0.92 expected goals /60top 5%
Finishing
Below expectedSniper
−0.6 goals above expected /100 shotsbottom 26%
−0.5 goals above expected /100 shotsbottom 36%
Setting up goals
Rarely sets upPlaymaker
0.66 first assists /60top 18%
0.54 first assists /60average

Special teams

Power-play chances
QuietThreat
1.67 expected goals /60bottom 12%
1.83 expected goals /60too few games
Shorthanded threat
Pure defensePower kill
1.09 expected goals for /60top 12%
0.89 expected goals for /60top 41%

Physical and puck

Hitting
Avoids contactPhysical
hitting score 47bottom 36%1.05 hits /60bottom 9%
hitting score 62average3.48 hits /60bottom 43%
Shot blocking
Rarely blocksShot blocker
blocking score 56bottom 7%1.48 blocks /60bottom 9%
blocking score 83bottom 36%0.87 blocks /60bottom 1%
Takeaways
RarePuck thief
takeaway score 106top 36%1.25 takeaways /60top 18%
takeaway score 87bottom 33%0.00 takeaways /60bottom 1%

Penalties and faceoffs

Drawing penalties
RarelyDraws calls
0.37 penalties drawn /60bottom 2%
0.71 penalties drawn /60bottom 36%
Staying out of the box
Often penalizedClean
0.34 penalties taken /60top 6%
0.59 penalties taken /60top 39%
Faceoffs
Loses drawsWins draws
47.5% wonbottom 32%
47.6% wonbottom 32%

Hitting, shot blocking and takeaways are arena-adjusted scores (100 is the average forward); switch “Hits and takeaways” to Raw in the settings to see the numbers as recorded. How the ratings work.

Shots

Where his shots come from, and how his misses miss.

Show

295 unblocked shots, this season and last, from his point of view. 25 more from outside the zone. Empty nets left out.

27 unblocked shots, this season, from his point of view. 1 more from outside the zone. Empty nets left out.

How his misses miss

Wide left39
Wide right35
Over the net12
Off the post or crossbar5
Short or other5

96 missed shots. “Wide left” is from his point of view.

Wide left2
Wide right4
Over the net2
Off the post or crossbar1
Short or other1

10 missed shots. “Wide left” is from his point of view.

The NHL’s game data records how a shot missed, but not where in the net a goal or save went (glove side, blocker, five-hole). That needs paid camera tracking, so we don’t show it.

Skating and shot

Speed, bursts, shot power and where he spends his shifts, from the NHL’s own tracking (NHL EDGE).

Top speed
SlowerBurner
22.1 mphbottom 28%
21.2 mphbottom 38%
Fast bursts
RareFrequent
2.9 bursts /60bottom 17%
4.3 bursts /60bottom 41%
Hardest shotTop 10
SofterCannon
93.5 mphtop 6%
90.8 mphtop 3%
Distance skated
ShorterCovers ground
9.71 miles /60average
9.95 miles /60top 30%
Time in the offensive zone
DefendingAttacking
39.7% of his timebottom 16%
45.0% of his timetop 13%

Top speed and hardest shot are his best single moments over this season and lastthis season; bursts and distance are per 60 minutes of his ice time. Tracking data: NHL EDGE.