LD Mattias Backman (2011, 146th overall, DET; traded to DAL)

[Anchor Town*]

6'2" Swedish defenseman. Was drafted in the 5th round in 2011 by Detroit. Won a gold with Sweden in the WJC, led the team in ice time (over the likes of Brodin and Klefbom). Has played for the Swedish national team in 9 games. Had 26 points last year. Has 19 this year and leads the SHL in +/- with a +23. Will be heading to Grand Rapids next year in the AHL.

What's his NHL future?

Click to read more...

 

[mindfly]

6'2" Swedish defenseman. Was drafted in the 5th round in 2011 by Detroit. Won a gold with Sweden in the WJC, led the team in ice time (over the likes of Brodin and Klefbom). Has played for the Swedish national team in 9 games. Had 26 points last year. Has 19 this year and leads the SHL in +/- with a +23. Will be heading to Grand Rapids next year in the AHL.

What's his NHL future?

Top-4 Defenseman best case scenario... top6 worst case

 

[Anchor Town*]

Top-4 Defenseman best case scenario... top6 worst case

So where does he fit in with Kronwall, Ericsson, DeKeyser, Smith, Kindl, Lashoff, Ouellet, Marchenko, Sproul, Almqvist, etc?

 

[Wolverine Wings]

Real under the radar guy from what I've gathered. He has quietly been excellent, but will face stiff competition with other Wings prospects at defense like Ouellet, Sproul, Marchenko and to a lesser extent Jensen and Almquist.

It really will be a waiting game to see how he adapts to North American ice and a higher level of competition but the upside is there for him to be a very serviceable player in the NHL.

So where does he fit in with Kronwall, Ericsson, DeKeyser, Smith, Kindl, Lashoff, Ouellet, Marchenko, Sproul, Almqvist, etc?

Somewhere around Ouellet, Sproul and Marchenko, though almost everybody is higher than Kindl at this point...

 

[Qubax]

Mattias Backman - Det

What do the wings have hear? I think he's starting to fly way under the radar and has a lot of reasonably polished potential that could see him in the NHL in the next year or two.

Thoughts?

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I love him and think he will be a complete steal. I hope he sticks with Detroit next season, but will probably be in AHL with some NHL games

 

[ricky0034]

Babcock seems pretty high on him

a couple weeks ago he said twice in interviews in the span of a week that he will be on the team next year

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

will he be first to make the team over other prospect dmen.... Sproul, Marchenko, Almquist, Ouelette?

 

[The Geelee]

Seen him play a lot in Grand Rapids during the playoffs and he has looked great.

Hakan compared him to Edler when he drafted him and I can see why, has a ton of poise with the puck. Wouldn't be surprised to see him with the Red Wings next year

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Edler without throwing any hits maybe. It doesn't seem like he'll have a physical game outside of pinning guys, which isn't the end of the world (see Nick Lidstrom).

He does appear to be quickly headed to the NHL though. With Sproul and Ouellet North American and drafted earlier, both Marchenko and especially Backman have flown under the radar a bit with their development.

All 4 players have the NHL in their paths right now. In fact, no one in Detroit would be the least surprised if both Marchenko and Backman made the jump to the bigs before Sproul and Ouellet at this point.

The fact that Detroit got all 4 of them in the same draft (with Jurco) is remarkable. I wouldn't be the surprised if one or two of them was eventually moved though.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Edler without throwing any hits maybe. It doesn't seem like he'll have a physical game outside of pinning guys, which isn't the end of the world (see Nick Lidstrom).

He does appear to be quickly headed to the NHL though. With Sproul and Ouellet North American and drafted earlier, both Marchenko and especially Backman have flown under the radar a bit with their development.

All 4 players have the NHL in their paths right now. In fact, no one in Detroit would be the least surprised if both Marchenko and Backman made the jump to the bigs before Sproul and Ouellet at this point.

The fact that Detroit got all 4 of them in the same draft (with Jurco) is remarkable. I wouldn't be the surprised if one or two of them was eventually moved though.

Ya I was just gonna say that I can see 1 or 2 of them involved in a deal for help in other areas. They seem pretty stacked with D prospects

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

I think Ouellet will be the best of the group, but Sproul, Backman, and Marchenko are right there. Then I think Jensen and Almquist are behind that group. Really quite the log jam. Kronwall and Dekeyser are probably not going to be moved any time soon and who knows about Smith and Ericsson.

 

[Syan Ruter]

He's a Swedish, late-round, defenseman draft pick by Detroit. So, we can expect the Norris-talk to begin within a few years. Seriously, Detroit's drafting is just ridiculously solid

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Yeah with both Dekeyser and Smith still on the young side of 30 and Kronwall and Ericsson not quite nearing the end, Detroit simply won't have room for everyone in the next few years (don't forget about Jensen either, whose elite wheels will likely give him a look at the NHL as well.)

So this gives them the luxury of taking their time with some of these kids (I think this will particularly be good for Sproul who has the best physical tools of the prospects, but is also the least polished on the defensive side of the puck).

But at some point Detroit is going to want to manage these assets the best they can. If that means using one or two of them as pieces for a proven, veteran blueliner or a forward at some point, so be it.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Bäckman has returned to sweden. Was a healthy scratch in AHL.

 

[BPilgrim]

Bäckman has returned to sweden. Was a healthy scratch in AHL.

Per what source?

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Per what source?

Pete Wallner ‏@petewallner 9h9 hours ago

Can also confirm through Red Wings that @griffinshockey D Mattias Backman has returned to Sweden.

 

[BPilgrim]

Pete Wallner ‏@petewallner 9h9 hours ago

Can also confirm through Red Wings that @griffinshockey D Mattias Backman has returned to Sweden.

Ok, thanks.

 

[Tatar Shots]

This is really disappointing. He is such a talented player. He was excellent for years in Sweden, great in the AHL playoffs last year, and Babcock was praising him before the season started stating he would be in the NHL this year. What is it with the Wing's young Swedes threatening to go back home/ going home? I wonder if the last two years might cause a change in drafting philosophy or if we will ever see Backman in North America again. The guy has NHL talent.

 

[ChadS]

This is really disappointing. He is such a talented player. He was excellent for years in Sweden, great in the AHL playoffs last year, and Babcock was praising him before the season started stating he would be in the NHL this year. What is it with the Wing's young Swedes threatening to go back home/ going home? I wonder if the last two years might cause a change in drafting philosophy or if we will ever see Backman in North America again. The guy has NHL talent.

I'm hoping he comes back next year and has another Swede (Janmark) around to feel more comfortable. He has a lot of talent and looked absolutely great in the playoffs, and I'm positive he can make the NHL if he just puts in the work and is dedicated long-term. Would be interesting to get some comments from the management on their plans with him going forward, since I'm pretty sure the're not giving up on him yet.

 

[Chance on Chance]

This is really disappointing. He is such a talented player. He was excellent for years in Sweden, great in the AHL playoffs last year, and Babcock was praising him before the season started stating he would be in the NHL this year. What is it with the Wing's young Swedes threatening to go back home/ going home? I wonder if the last two years might cause a change in drafting philosophy or if we will ever see Backman in North America again. The guy has NHL talent.

Probably homesick and $$$$$ are big things for him, and I think he was mad about his ice time

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Traded to Dallas.

 

[bottomofthefoodchain]

Traded to Dallas.

New Swedish colony

 

[Franck]

New Swedish colony

There's a few of those around the league now. Nashville, Anaheim, Chicago...

 

[BigG44]

There's going to hopefully be an interesting Swedish-Finnish rivalry on Texas' AHL defense next season between Julius Honka/Esa Lindell and Ludwig Bystrom/Mattias Bachman.

Hopefully Mattias Janmark will come over next year as well.