The Calgary Flames came into this summer with seven 2024 pending UFA's, with many believing several of them would be moved, and now, it appears one could be on the way out.
After trading Tyler Toffoli, the team has had discussions with Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm, and Mikael Backlund about extensions and trades, with the latest move signaling that the latter could be on the way out.
The first day of training camp is often used for the team to take photos and prepare fans for the season ahead, and now, people have noticed one very important detail about Backlund as he enters his 15th year in Calgary.
After wearing an A as part of last year's leadership group, Backlund now doesn't have one on his jersey, and while that could be a precursor to a trade, it could also stem from the fact that this new regime is still waiting on contract details to name a new leadership group.
Whether or not he's traded or given the captaincy alongside an extension, Backlund will be remembered as one of the Flames most beloved players, spending his entire career in Calgary thus far, so this is a story to keep an eye on going forward.
