Pacific Notes: Backlund, Hirose, Broberg

Trade offers for Flames center Mikael Backlund have been soft thus far, notes Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg.  The 34-year-old is actually coming off a career year offensively, notching 19 goals and 37 assists in 82 games last season while continuing to be strong in the defensive end.  However, while his performance last year was strong, his contract, which carries a $5.35MM AAV, is likely contributing to a weak trade market at this time.  Backlund hasn’t ruled out signing an extension to stay with the team that drafted him back in 2007 but wants to see how the team fares in 2023-24 before making a decision.  Cap space is tight for Calgary at the moment so GM Craig Conroy is likely open to trying to free up some salary but with Backlund’s trade market being light, it’s unlikely that the veteran middleman will be the cap casualty.

More from the Pacific:

• While Akito Hirose impressed for the Canucks late last season, his waiver exemption could work against him in training camp, suggests Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province. The 24-year-old held his own after signing as an undrafted college free agent, collecting three assists in seven games while logging over 16 minutes a night.  However, Jack Rathbone, Guillaume Brisebois, Noah Juulsen, and Matt Irwin (among others) must pass through waivers to go to AHL Abbotsford.  If Vancouver is worried about possibly losing one of them on the wire, Hirose could find himself on the outside looking in as a result.
• Although blueliner Philip Broberg is viewed as one of the Oilers’ top youngsters, Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal wonders if he could be a victim of what could be too much left-side defensive depth. Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm are entrenched in the top two slots on that side while Brett Kulak has three years left on a deal worth $2.75MM which would be hard to move in this market.  Those three present some roadblocks for Broberg who will be looking to establish himself as a full-time NHL player this coming season. If the 22-year-old gets a chance to play his off-side in the preseason, that might be his best chance of earning a significant role in 2023-24.