The 36-year-old veteran that the rebuilding Calgary Flames shouldn't trade

Mikael Backlund recently surpassed 1,100 games played with the Calgary Flames.

Amongst Flames players, only Jarome Iginla has played more in the franchise’s history.

Anyone glancing at the 36-year-old centre’s career stats might be confused by his longevity in the organization, especially in comparison to Iginla’s Hall of Fame totals. But Backlund’s value always has been found beneath the surface of the counting numbers.

With 584 points over those 1,102 games, Backlund’s totals aren’t bad, exactly. But it’s exceptionally rare to see a player who averages 43 points a season play well into his 30’s with a single team.

Although he was the 24th-overall pick in 2007, Backlund’s road to the NHL was not a smooth one. He didn’t catch on as a regular with the parent club until the 2010-11 season. And, for the better part of three seasons, the player bounced around the lineup, unable to establish a clear role or toe hold.

The 2012 NHL lockout saw Backlund return to Vasteras of the SWE-1 league, where he scored 33 goals and 30 assists in just 23 games. It may have been a second-tier pro league on another continent, but it was enough to re-establish the player’s confidence.

It wasn’t until the 2013-14 season, in a post-Iginla era, that Backlund finally found the two-way prowess that has defined his game ever since and made him so invaluable to the litany of coaches who followed.

Backlund may not score like a top-line centre, but he is the first choice to play against the opposition’s best players every single night. Through 36 games played this season, no NHL forward has taken more defensive zone draws than Backlund’s 228. For the record, that is 127 more faceoffs than he has taken into the offensive zone, one of the largest differentials in the league.

At even strength, Backlund boasts the best even-strength goal differential on the team (55.5%), despite his age and the difficulty of his minutes. This is not unusual for the player, though. In aggregate over the past five seasons, a span comprising 365 games, the Flames have outscored the bad guys 201-165 (54.9% GF%) at five-on-five with Backlund on the ice.

That level of consistency as a player, a teammate and a professional is one of the reasons Backlund has been a fixture for the team for so long.

The captain has scored 15+ goals nine times in his career and crossed the 40-point threshold six times. He’s currently on pace to score 20 goals and 47 points in this, his 16th full season in the league.

Backlund isn’t merely Calgary’s defensive stalwart and two-way presence down the middle. He’s a player who helps lift anyone who plays with him.

Connor Zary’s season was rapidly going down the drain until he landed on a line with Backlund and Blake Coleman. Sam Honzek’s surprising ascension this year was aided by the same capable duo, even while playing some of the toughest minutes.

This is a pattern that has repeated over and over again over the years for anyone who has paid attention. Flames coaches know about “The Backlund Bump” and will skate youngsters or struggling guys with Backlund to get them going.

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Despite spending the past 11 seasons being trusted as the club’s go-to shutdown option, Backlund is a player who frustrates many in the fan base.

His value isn’t obvious to the casual observer. He doesn’t make many highlight reels. He never leads the team in scoring. He’s not a great power-play option. He’s prone to going through offensive dry periods.

But there’s a reason no one has usurped Backlund’s role, even as the team enters its second rebuild during his tenure here. And that’s his relentless commitment to playing the game the right way.

Backlund is almost always on the right side of the puck, in the right position, anticipating the beat of the play. Even on the back nine of his career, few NHLers are better puck hounds, play drivers or offensive cycle players.

He makes struggling players better because the puck always seems to be heading north whenever Backlund is on the ice.

While Craig Conroy should consider trading many of the club’s remaining veterans in aid of the rebuild, Backlund is one of the rare exceptions.

Not just because he’s still performing at a Selke level on the ice, but because he’s a strong champion for the city and ambassador for the organization.

He is the ideal veteran to help usher in the team’s next era.