{"id":387659,"date":"2026-01-03T02:05:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T02:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/387659\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T02:05:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T02:05:12","slug":"frustrated-not-to-make-team-sweden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/387659\/","title":{"rendered":"Frustrated Not to Make Team Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mikael Backlund<\/a> has been one of the Calgary Flames\u2019 steady hands this season. Watching him play, you don\u2019t see the big highlight reel stuff, but you notice the little things. He makes the plays that actually make a team work. <\/p>\n

When he didn\u2019t get the Olympic call for Sweden, you\u2019d expect him to be down. And, he was a bit bummed, no question. But he wasn\u2019t crushed. That\u2019s not Backlund. Instead, he focused on what he can actually do\u2014play hard, stay sharp, and help his Flames\u2019 team any way he can. And that\u2019s enough for him.<\/p>\n

He dreamed of the Olympics as all hockey players would. As he noted in a recent interview<\/a>, \u201cI was hoping for it, but I never expected it,\u201d he says. And you can tell he actually means. Sweden\u2019s team is stacked with talent; every spot is a fight.<\/p>\n

Still, Backlund\u2019s been playing his best hockey since he became captain. Every shift, every matchup, even the scrappy odd-man stuff, is his chance to show he belongs with the top players out there.<\/p>\n

Backlund Was Excited to Get a Call from Team Sweden<\/p>\n

What\u2019s interesting is how he looks at this. There\u2019s pride in being in the conversation. Backlund received a phone call before Christmas saying he was being considered, and he keeps circling back to it. <\/p>\n

\u201cNot everyone got that call,\u201d he said. That\u2019s a reminder of his perspective. Some players could have a season like this and barely get noticed. Backlund\u2019s not losing sleep over what didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n

\"MikaelMikael Backlund Flames<\/p>\n

Instead, he\u2019s focusing on the positives. He\u2019s been part of the Flames\u2019 huge turnaround. He\u2019s helping Calgary in ways the scoresheet doesn\u2019t always show, still leading quietly and staying ready for the next big moment. Still, he leads quietly, staying prepared for the next big moment. He calls missing the Olympics \u201cdisappointing and frustrating,\u201d but he\u2019s also realistic. The big tournaments come and go, but a season where you lead, contribute, and play solid hockey\u2014that\u2019s something you can control.<\/p>\n

For the Flames\u2019 Backlund, Being Noticed by His Home Country Is Enough<\/p>\n

For Backlund, it\u2019s enough that he was in the mix. He\u2019s proud of his season, proud to be considered, and determined to keep building for his Flames. The Olympics will wait, but the grind of a season, the little victories, the way he helps his team\u2014that\u2019s where he measures himself. And in hockey, that\u2019s worth more than any medal.<\/p>\n

Related: Why Philip Broberg Making Team Sweden Isn\u2019t a \u201cSalt in the Wound\u201d for Oilers Fans<\/a><\/p>\n

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