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Niklas Oskar Bäckström (; born 13 February 1978) is a Finnish former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as goalie or netminder) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their own team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays ...
and current goaltending coach for the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
. He played ten seasons for the
Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
and
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL), during which he won both the
William M. Jennings Trophy The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
and
Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award The Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, officially billed as the MBNA/MasterCard Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, was an award in ice hockey given annually to the goaltender who finished the regular season with the best save percentage in the Natio ...
. He also has won both
Urpo Ylönen trophy Urpo is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Urpo Korhonen (1923–2009), Finnish cross-country skier *Urpo Lahtinen, Finnish magazine publisher *Urpo Pikkupeura (born 1957), former ice speed skater from Finland *Urpo Sivula (born ...
and
Jari Kurri trophy The Jari Kurri Trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish Liiga to the best player in the Liiga playoffs. The trophy is named after Jari Kurri. In the 2005–06 season, the trophy was awarded to the player voted the best player in the ...
twice. Bäckström is a
Swedish-speaking Finn The Swedish-speaking population of Finland (whose members are called by many names—see below; ; ) is a linguistic minority in Finland. They maintain a strong identity and are seen either as a separate cultural, ethnic or linguistic group or, ...
, but also speaks Finnish.


Playing career


Finland

Bäckström won the
1998 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1998 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (''1998 WJHC'') were held in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland. The championships began on December 25, 1997, and finished on January 3, 1998. Home team Finland was the winner, defeating Russia 2–1 ...
as a backup goaltender for the Finnish national team, along with players like
Olli Jokinen Olli Veli Pekka Jokinen (born December 5, 1978) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings third overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, with whom he made his NHL debut. He has also played for the Ne ...
,
Niklas Hagman Niklas Hagman (born December 5, 1979) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward. He was a third round pick of the Florida Panthers, 70th overall, at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut with Florid ...
,
Mika Noronen Mika Noronen (born 17 June 1979) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 71 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks between 2000 and 2006. The rest of his career, which last ...
,
Niko Kapanen Niko Klaus Petteri Kapanen (born 29 April 1978) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey centre, who last played for HPK of the Finnish Liiga. Playing career Kapanen was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 6th round as the 173rd overall pick ...
, Toni Dahlman and Eero Somervuori. Bäckström was the third goaltender for Finland in the
2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics (), officially the XX Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February in Turin, Italy. This marked the second time Italy had hosted the Winter O ...
in
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
, but did not play any games. In the Finnish
SM-liiga The Liiga, colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. The league comprises 16 teams from all around Finland with relegation and promotion between the Mest ...
, he played for
HIFK HIFK, the Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna, Helsingfors (IFK, Helsingfors) rf (officially abbreviated IFK Helsingfors, colloquially often Helsingfors IFK or Helsingin IFK) is a multi-sport association based in Helsinki, Finland. Formed in 1897 on ...
,
SaiPa SAIPA (, ''SAIPA'') is an Iranian automaker headquartered in Tehran. The SAIPAC (an acronym for the French ''Société anonyme iranienne de production des automobiles Citroën'' lit. ''Iranian Limited Company for the Production of Citroën Autom ...
and Kärpät. Bäckström led Kärpät to two consecutive league titles in 2004 and 2005. Subsequently, Bäckström signed a one-year contract with the
Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
of the NHL on 1 June 2006.


Minnesota Wild

Upon signing with the Wild, Bäckström attended their training camp and played in exhibition games ahead of the 2006–07 season. He played his first exhibition game in North America on 28 September 2006 against the
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
, stopping 26 of 28 shots. Although he was initially expected to split his ice time with rookie
Josh Harding Joshua Joel Harding (born June 18, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota Wild. Playing career Harding played three seasons of junior ice hockey in the Weste ...
, an unexpected injury made Bäckström the Wild's permanent backup for starting goaltender Manny Fernandez. Bäckström made his NHL debut on 7 October 2006, after being placed in relief of Fernandez following the first period. He made 17 saves over the next two periods to claim his first career win in a 6–5 victory over the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
. Although he remained the Wild's backup, Fernandez struggled to win games for the Wild. In his seventh game with the Wild, and his second straight game as the Wild's starter, Bäckström recorded his first career shutout in a 4–0 victory over the
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
on 24 November 2006. After Fernandez suffered a knee injury on 30 January, Bäckström thrived as the main starter, posting an 8–2–1 record over 11 games. In his first four games as the Wild's main starter, he maintained a 3–1–0 record which included a shutout and a season-high 41 saves. Later, he won three straight games and maintained a 1.62 goals-against average to earn the NHL's First Star of the Week honors for the week ending on 26 February. His outstanding play helped lift the Minnesota Wild to a 35–23–5 record and rank second in the Northwest standings with 75 points. However, shortly following this honor, Bäckström left the second period of a game against the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
with a lower-body injury and was replaced by Harding. The injury did not force Bäckström out long term and he quickly returned as the Wild's starter for their game against the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
a few days later. He finished the season posting a 3–0–0 record, 0.33 goals-against average, .986 save percentage and had two shutouts as the Wild finished the regular season second in the Northwest Division. He was subsequently recognized again as one of the NHL's Three Stars of the Week. Despite only playing as the Wild's start for half of the season, Bäckström finished first in the NHL in both
goals against average Goals against average (GAA), also known as average goals against (AGA), is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on spo ...
(GAA) and
save percentage Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various Goal (sports), goal-scoring sports that track Save (goaltender), saves as a statistic. In ice hockey and lacrosse and association football, it is a sta ...
to earn the
Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award The Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, officially billed as the MBNA/MasterCard Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, was an award in ice hockey given annually to the goaltender who finished the regular season with the best save percentage in the Natio ...
. He also co-received the
William M. Jennings Trophy The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
with Fernandez for allowing a League-low 191 goals. Bäckström and the Wild met with the
Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
in Round One of the
2007 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played Playoff format#Best-of-seven playoff, best-of-seven series for conference quarterfinals, se ...
. After losing the first three games of the series, Bäckström made 28 saves to clinch his first career playoff win and stave off a four-game sweep. Ahead of the 2007–08 season, the Wild traded Fernandez to the Boston Bruins and signed Bäckström to a two-year $6.2-million contract extension. He subsequently became the de facto starting goaltender for the Wild and Harding became his backup. Bäckström started the season strong by winning his first four games while maintaining a 1.00 goals against average. Prior to suffering an injury near the end of October, Bäckström had made 114 saves on 121 shots and maintained a .942 a save percentage. Despite missing a few games due to injury, Bäckström maintained a 7–1–1 record with 1.88 goals against and .926 save percentage. He was subsequently named to the NHL's All-Star Ballot for the 2008 NHL All-Star Game after he maintained a 7–1–1 record with 1.88 goals against and .926 save percentage. Although he had returned from injury, Bäckström still lacked his previous efficiency in net and the Wild began to rely more on Harding. On 5 November, Bäckström won his 30th career NHL game in his 46th career NHL game to bring his career record to 30–9–7. Bäckström finished the month of November being recognized as the NHL's Third Star of the Week after he had recorded a 12–4–1 record, 2.22 goals against average, .916 save percentage and two shutouts through 18 games. When the NHL's All-Star voting concluded in early January, Bäckström ranked sixth among all eligible goaltenders as he received 79,727 votes. However, Bäckström failed to maintain the consistency he showed during his rookie season as he slumped during February and the Wild lost their first five games of March. They quickly bounced back as the month continued and Bäckström set a new franchise record with his 31st win of the season on 28 March. Bäckström continued to be consistent as he made 26 saves to lead the Wild to their first Northwest Division title in franchise history on 3 April. He finished the regular season with a 33–13–8 record, a 2.31 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage. However, Bäckström and the Wild were unable to beat the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
in their first round Stanley Cup playoff series. In the final year of his contract, Bäckström returned to the Wild for the 2008–09 season where he set new career-highs in games played and wins. He was expected to regain his position as the Wild's main starter while Harding continued to serve as his backup. Bäckström showed an immediate return to his prime form as he recorded his 15th career shutout to lead the Wild to four straight wins to start the season. By mid-October, he led the Western Conference with 1.71 goals against and a .942 save percentage. As a result of his successful start, Bäckström was recognized as the NHL's Second Star of the Week for the week ending on 19 October. Bäckström helped the Wild remain undefeated in regulation throughout October until he was replaced by Harding after the first period of a game against the
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
. After allowing three goals in the first period, the Wild failed to regain the lead and fell 4–2 in regulation on 30 October. Bäckström recorded his second shutout of the season the following month to help the Wild clinch a 4–0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. His third shutout of the season came on 3 December in another 4–0 win over the St. Louis Blues. Bäckström continued to record shutouts throughout the season and set a new franchise-record shutout streak of 149 minutes, 14 seconds on 7 January 2009. He beat the previous record of 147:54 before giving up a goal to
Scott Hartnell Scott Wesley Hartnell (born April 18, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Hartnell ...
in the second period of a game against the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
. At the time, he also maintained a 19–12–2 record with 2.14 goals against average through 33 games and was tied for first in the NHL in shutouts. As a result of his outstanding play, Bäckström was voted into his first-ever NHL All-Star Game in
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
. Prior to the All-Star break, Bäckström had improved to 22 wins on the season while falling to fifth among league goaltenders in goals against with 2.22 and sixth in save percentage. Bäckström continued to remain consistent in net for the Wild through February and March, leading him to sign a four-year, $24 million contract extension on 3 March as an
unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
. He concluded his third season with the Wild as only goaltender in the league to finish the regular season in the top five for wins, goals against, save percentage, and shutouts. He also set new franchise records for wins (37), games played (71), shutouts (eight), saves (1,900) and minutes played (4,088). After the Wild were eliminated from playoff contention, Bäckström underwent surgery on his left hip to remove two cysts. While recovering, Bäckström finished as the runner-up for the
Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy ( ) is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two List of NHL general managers, NHL general managers vote to dete ...
, awarded to the NHL's top goaltender. After the Wild failed to qualify for the playoffs, the team replaced head coach
Jacques Lemaire Jacques Gérard Lemaire (born September 7, 1945) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and head coach who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He spent his entire twelve-year National Hockey League (NHL) playing career with the ...
with Todd Richards and hired Chuck Fletcher as their new general manager ahead of the 2009–10 season. Bäckström and the Wild began the season with a losing 5–9–0 record and the teams' first road win came on 1 November. Bäckström's play began picking up through the month and he recorded his 100th career NHL win on 9 November against the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
. Despite reaching this milestone, Bäckström continued to struggle and maintained a 7–8–2 record with a 2.67 goals against average through the first 17 games of the season. In December, Bäckström began an upswing in his goaltending as he recording his first shutout of the season, and maintained a 0.74 goals against average during a four-game win streak frpom 9 December 9 to 17 December. At the end of the month, Bäckström was named to Team Finland for the
2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
in Vancouver. On 11 January 2010, Bäckström made 35 saves for his 113th career win in 208 games to tie Fernandez for the franchise record. He broke the record the following game after he made 29 saves against the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
for his 114th win. At the end of the month, Bäckström missed four months due to a back injury and then underwent a procedure after falling ill. He eventually returned to the Wild lineup on 10 February for their game against the Phoenix Coyotes after missing a total of six games. He later missed seven more games in March due to a groin injury but he returned to the Wild lineup for their 24 March game against the
San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
. Shortly after returning to the lineup, Bäckström regained his original starter position as Harding suffered a season-ending injury. Coach Todd Richards defended Bäckström's declining record of 26–23–8, .903 save percentage, and 2.72 GAA by calling out the play of the teams' defencemen. In defence of Bäckström, Richards said: "A goalie needs to trust that the guys in front of him are doing certain things." Despite the Wild failing to quality for the
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to ...
, Bäckström held the franchise record in wins and shutouts while ranking second in goals against and save percentage. As such, he was recognized by the franchise on their Year Ten All-Time team. Unlike the previous seasons, Bäckström gained free agent
José Théodore José Nicolas Théodore (born September 13, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild, and Flor ...
as his backup after Harding suffered another serious injury prior to the start of the 2010–11 season. Bäckström recorded his franchise-leading 20th career shutout on 2 November 2010 in a 1–0 win over the San Jose Sharks. By 12 November, Bäckström had maintained a 6–4–2 record with a 2.07 goals against average, and a .933 save percentage. As a result of his consistent play, Bäckström was named to the 2011 NHL All-Star ballot alongside teammates
Mikko Koivu Mikko-Sakari Koivu (born 12 March 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. Koivu was drafted sixth overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild. After four seasons with TPS in the SM-liiga, Koivu joined the Wild i ...
and
Marek Židlický Marek Židlický (; born ) is a Czechs, Czech former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the sixth round, 176th overall, by the New York Rangers in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Playing ...
. Bäckström was ultimately not selected for the All-Star Game and missed four games in January with a hip injury. Upon returning to the Wild's lineup, Bäckström went on a 6–3–1 run with a 1.49 GAA, a .952 SV% and two shutouts over 10 starts. He also ranked third in the league in save percentages and tied for seventh in goals against. He finished the month of February ranked second in the league with a .940 save percentage and third with a 1.69 goals against average. His play slowed down in March as he experienced a six-game losing streak when starting, which he broke on 31 March against the Edmonton Oilers. During that game, he also continued to maintain the NHL active home win streak against a single team as he went 14–0–0 against the Oilers. Bäckström finished the 2010–11 season with a losing 22–23–5 record and a .916 save percentage. He later attributed his rough season to his lingering shoulder injury that he suffered in October and then re-aggravated at the end of February. Bäckström returned to the Wild for the 2011–12 season as their starting goaltender with Harding as his backup. Through his first four games of the season, Bäckström seemed to return to form as he maintained a winning 2–1–1 record with a 1.93 GAA and a .928 save percentage. However, by November, new head coach
Mike Yeo Michael Yeo (born July 31, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. Yeo is currently an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the former head coach of the Minnesota Wild ...
began alternating between Harding and Bäckström. Harding was maintaining a 4–0–1 record while Bäckström had a 3–3–2 record through eight games with a 2.30 GAA and .912 save percentage. Due to Harding's strong play, Bäckström sat out numerous games before returning to the Wild's lineup on 9 November and leading them to their fifth straight win. As the two began working in tandem, Bäckström had a winning 7–4–2 record by mid-November as the Wild averaged 2.35 goals per game and allowed 31.6 shots per game. His record placed him among the top five in the league among goaltenders who had made at least 10 starts. By the end of the month, Bäckström had a 10–5–2 record. As the two goaltenders continued to work in tandem, the Wild experienced a seven-game winning streak followed by an eight-game losing streak through the month of December. The Wild continued to struggle the following month as Harding suffered a concussion and Bäckström battled a groin injury and flu. On 19 February, Bäckström set both personal and franchise records during a shutout against the Boston Bruins. His 48 saves were a new career-best and the most ever by a Wild goaltender in a shutout in franchise history. However, his season was derailed again as he suffered a lower-leg injury during a game against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
on 1 March. At the time of the injury, he had a 17–17–6 record with a 2.44 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. He returned to the Wild lineup on 29 March where he made 25 saves against the
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
for his first win since late February against San Jose. Bäckström finished the 2011–12 season with a 19–18–7 record and a .919 save percentage through 46 games. Once the season concluded, he underwent minor surgery on his ankle. Due to the
2012–13 NHL lockout 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to ...
, Bäckström agreed to join the Dynamo Minsk of the
Kontinental Hockey League The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs. It was considered in ...
to start the season. However, he suffered an ankle injury before leaving for Belarus and remained in Minnesota to recover. Once the NHL resumed, Bäckström returned to form and retook his place as the Wild's starting goaltender while Harding adjusted to medication for
multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...
. Through his first nine appearances of the season, Bäckström maintained a steady 2.53 goals against average and .909 save percentage. In the next four games, Bäckström improved to a 6–5–2 record with a 2.26 goals against average and .917 save percentage. At the end of the month, Bäckström was recognized as the NHL's Third Star of the Week after he recorded three consecutive wins against the Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes, and Edmonton Oilers. Bäckström continued his steady pace through the month of March and helped lead the Wild to five consecutive wins. Following their fifth consecutive win, Bäckström was recognized as the NHL's Second Star of the Week for the week ending on 24 March. The Wild's winning streak was eventually cut short at seven after they fell 5–3 to the
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
at the end of the month. During their winning streak, Bäckström maintained a 2.46 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. He finished the season with a 24–15–3 record, a 2.48 goals against average, a .909 save percentage, and two shutouts through 42 games. As the Wild qualified for the
2013 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2012–13 season. They began on April 30, 2013, following the conclusion of the regular season. The regular season was shortened to 48 games a ...
, Bäckström was the de facto starter with Harding as his backup. However, he suffered a leg injury during warmups prior to Game 1 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
and he missed the remainder of the series. During the offseason, Bäckström underwent sports hernia surgery and was expected to return to the Wild for the
2013–14 NHL season The 2013–14 NHL season was the 97th season of operation (96th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season features a realignment of the league's 30 teams from a six to a four division format. The regular season began Octob ...
. While recovering from surgery, Bäckström signed a three-year, $10.25 million contract extension to remain with the Wild before becoming an unrestricted free agent. He began the 2013–14 season on a losing record before suffering a lower body injury during a game against the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
on 8 October. He returned to the Wild's lineup on 25 October as a replacement for Harding during a game against the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
. After starting the next game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Bäckström did not start another game until 13 November. However, during this game, he suffered an upper-body injury after he was elbowed by
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
centre
Nazem Kadri Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kadri won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, becoming the first ...
in the first period. Kadri was subsequently suspended for three games as a result. After Harding suffered an injury during warmups on 23 November, Bäckström took his place in his first game since his injury on 13 November. However, Bäckström was still experiencing soreness from his surgery and received cortisone shots to relieve pain and inflammation. While Bäckström and Harding were sidelined,
Darcy Kuemper Darcy Kuemper (born May 5, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round, 161st overall, of the 2009 NHL entry draft, ...
took over as the Wild's starting goaltender. Bäckström earned praise from teammates and coaches for his supportiveness of Kuemper while sidelined to the backup position. On 4 March, Bäckström was ruled out for the remainder of the season and the Wild acquired goaltender
Ilya Bryzgalov Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov (; ; born 22 June 1980) is a Russian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Anaheim Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers and Minneso ...
to serve as Kuemper's backup. Bäckström finished the 2013–14 season with a 5–11–2 record and a 3.02 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. He later underwent surgery to resolve a core muscle injury he said bothered him for much of the season. Bäckström returned to the Wild for the 2014–15 season which would prove to be his last with the organization. Prior to the start of the season, Harding suffered a foot injury and the Wild released Bryzgalov from his tryout. As such, Bäckström and Kuemper were expected to share the starting role for the Wild. Bäckström struggled during the first half of the season as he maintained a 5–3–3 record with a 2.58 goals-against average and .901 save percentage through his first 14 games. On 27 December, he was placed on the Wild's injured reserve to recover from an illness retroactive to 21 December. As both Bäckström and Kuemper struggled to maintain consistency in net, the Wild acquired
Devan Dubnyk Devan Dubnyk (born May 4, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, 14th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft ...
from the Arizona Coyotes on 14 January 2015. Once Dubnyk was acquired, Bäckström did not appear in another game for the Wild for the remainder of the season. He finished the season with a 3.04 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage through 19 games. It was later revealed that Bäckström had suffered nerve damage during the 2014 preseason and had limited use of his right hand. Meanwhile, Dubnyk immediately found consistency in net for the Wild and was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy at the conclusion of the season.


Calgary Flames

Midway through the 2015–16 season, on 29 February 2016, Bäckström was traded to the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
along with a draft pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for forward David Jones. He appeared in four games for the Flames, recording two wins and two losses.


Return to Finland

On 10 June 2016, Bäckström effectively ended his NHL career after signing, as an impending free agent, a one-year contract with former club HIFK in Finland. In May 2018, Bäckström signed a one-year contract with
Tappara Tappara (; Finnish language, Finnish for "Battle axe") is a Finnish professional ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga. They play at ''Nokia Arena (Tampere), Nokia Arena'' in Tampere, Finland. The team has won 20 Finnish league championships, wh ...
.


Coaching

In July 2019, Bäckström was hired as the European goaltending development coach for the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
. He remained in this role for four years before returning to the United States and serving as their team's goaltending coach.


Personal life

Bäckström and his wife Heidi have two children: Benjamin and Isabella.


Records


Minnesota Wild

* Most wins: 194 * Most shutouts in a season: 8 (2008–09)


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs


International


Awards


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Backstrom, Niklas 1978 births Ice hockey people from Helsinki Swedish-speaking Finns AIK IF players Calgary Flames players Finnish ice hockey goaltenders Finnish expatriate ice hockey players in the United States HIFK (ice hockey) players Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics Living people Oulun Kärpät players Minnesota Wild players Medalists at the 2010 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics National Hockey League All-Stars Olympic bronze medalists for Finland Olympic ice hockey players for Finland Olympic medalists in ice hockey Olympic silver medalists for Finland SaiPa players Tappara players Undrafted National Hockey League players William M. Jennings Trophy winners Finnish expatriate ice hockey players in Sweden Finnish expatriate ice hockey players in Canada 21st-century Finnish sportsmen