Say What - 'A Special Night'

Mikael Backlund on his 1000th NHL game:

"I’m just super-excited. There’s been some buildup, (a) wait. It’s been great, winning a lot of games early in the season, it’s made this more fun. Now, it’s time to win again tonight, big game for us but yeah, I’m super-excited."

On whether he'll spot friends and family in the stands:

"My six buddies are coming, I’m sure I’ll see them; they’re wearing red Flames jerseys so they’ll probably stand out. I’ll tell them to come down to the glass (in warmup), throw them some pucks, maybe."

On his first visit to Utah being his 1,000th NHL contest:

"It’s awesome, when I saw that, I thought it was really cool, first game ever in Utah to be my 1,000th. I’ve heard it’s a crazy building, so I’m super-excited to play here, and do it on a special night."

On being the 10th Swedish-born player to reach 1,000 games with one team:

"The names of the players that have done it before me - those 10 players for one team - they’re pretty good players. It’s pretty surreal that I’m up there with them. It’s a lot to take in, but I’m proud of my work that I’ve put in to be here today. I’m going to keep pushing myself to stay in this league for as long as I want to."

Jonathan Huberdeau on Backlund's milestone night:

"It’s nice to be sitting beside him. It’s so special, doing it, 1,000 games and only one team as well, the same organization. He gave so much to this place, it’s just quite an achievement to get to 1,000 games. Tonight’s going to be special for him, he’s got to take it all in. It happens once, it’s going to be nice, when we get back, to be able to celebrate with all his family and friends."

On the importance of tonight's game:

"We’ve been slipping a little bit lately, but I think tonight’s a great night to answer. In a new building like that, the atmosphere, who knows what it’s going to be. But I think tonight, to win that one for Backs, and to get our team in the right spot as well."

MacKenzie Weegar on what impresses him about Backlund:

"Just the loyalty, I think that goes the longest way for me. To spend it all here, to want to come back and get it here, and do a lot for this city and the community. I think he’s playing for his family tonight, for the fans I think a lot, the community. But I think for us, how much we’re going to bring for him tonight, just as much as what he’s given back to the city. A little extra motivation, for sure, but it’s going to be fun."

On Backlund's legacy in Calgary:

"Spending the last couple years with him, I thought there was a few moments - obviously when he got named captain and seeing him come out in the first game, and hearing all the fans cheering for him at the Bonfire - just seeing everybody’s reaction to him becoming the captain, I think that’s when it truly set in how much he meant to this city. He means a lot to me, he means a lot to this team, his family. He’s a caring guy, he wants everybody to be great around him, he takes care of everybody. He’s the big Dad. It’s special for him, I’m happy for him."

Ryan Huska on Backlund's excitement level for tonight's game:

"I feel like it’s been a week. The lead-up to it, he’s pretty excited, and rightfully so. That’s a huge, huge milestone at the NHL level. Jamie (Pringle) did a nice little video for him this morning, so it was pretty good, for sure."

On Backlund's consistency as an every day NHLer:

"The work ethic side of him, I think he always feels like he’s got to, at this point in his career, do more, to make sure that he’s staying ahead of the people that are coming to try to push him out of the game. He’s won our fitness testing, or he’s been at the top of our fitness testing, for the last number of years. So I just think the work ethic that he puts in, how he takes care of himself away from the game, all of those things are allowing him to be a consistent, every day guy."