WHL Kelowna Rockets

Mikael Backlund Comes To Kelowna

January 12, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


The Kelowna Rockets are pleased to announce that 19 year old Mikael Backlund will be joining the team from Sweden.

Mikael is a 6'1, 194 pound left winger that was the Rockets second pick in the 2007 CHL Import Draft. He is coming off a five goal, seven point performance at the IIHF World Junior hockey championships in Ottawa, as he helped Team Sweden to their second consecutive silver medal. Mikael was also named one of Sweden's Top Three players of the Tournament by the Swedish coaching staff.

He was selected in the first round of the National Hockey League entry draft in 2007 by the Calgary Flames, 24th overall.

Mikael is excited to play the remaining 32 WHL regular season games plus playoffs, "I think it's going to be good, because compared to Sweden I would have just 11 games and here it's like 32 so there's much more games here and it'll be a good experience for me because we skate every day."

As far as his decision to leave Sweden and stay in North America, Mikael stated, "I don't know why it didn't work out some games I played well, some games I played bad."

"I am glad they (the Rockets & Flames) wanted me to come here," he continued. "It's much more games here. You skate almost every day, so it will be good. I have to learn to be good every game. The biggest thing here is the rink size. That makes the game more intense."

Mikael will join the Rockets immediately and will be in the line up this Wednesday when Kelowna hosts the Tri-City Americans.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2009


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