On Friday night, the Calgary Flames unveiled their Hometown Remix jersey for the first time, and the new look immediately opened the door to a fun little franchise trivia question: has Mikael Backlund worn more different Flames jerseys than anyone else?
The answer, as it turns out, is yes.
The Hometown Remix sweater is built around a gold Flaming C and details that nod to the Scotiabank Saddledome, fitting for a season in which the Flames are marking their final year in the building they’ve called home for so long. It’s one of two alternate jerseys the team will use this season, alongside the return of the black C look from the 2000s that became iconic during the 2004 Stanley Cup playoff run.
Backlund’s place in franchise history is already secure. Later this season, the captain will move past Jarome Iginla for the all-time games-played record. And with the new alternates now in the mix, he’s also climbed to the top of another list.
The Flames have used 17 different jersey designs since the franchise began in Atlanta in 1972, and the team’s longest-serving players have seen plenty of those looks come and go. Among the eight players who have appeared in 700 regular-season games or more for Calgary, Backlund has worn the most distinct jerseys of them all.
His total now stands at 11.
That puts him ahead of Mark Giordano, who wore 10 different designs over 949 games. Backlund had been one behind Giordano entering this season, but the addition of the two alternates pushed him into the lead.
Backlund’s collection spans a wide stretch of Flames history: the red and white flag jerseys, the classic reds, the western alternate, the classic whites, the Tigers tribute, the Stampeders tribute, the revised Blasty, the black pedestals, the 2000s red, and now the Hometown Remix.
That’s a lot of different looks for one crest.
The rest of the franchise’s jersey leaders trail behind. Robyn Regehr wore nine different jerseys in 826 games, and Jarome Iginla matched him with nine as well despite beginning his run earlier and lasting longer. Jim Peplinski and Joel Otto each wore four, while Al MacInnis only ever played in the classic home-and-road set, giving him two.
So if you’ve got a Flames jersey from almost any era hanging in your closet, there’s a good chance Backlund’s name fits on the back.
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Now the challenge is starting to shift from surviving the absences to figuring out what happens when everyone is healthy again. A roster that looked flexible a week ago can suddenly feel crowded, and the Flames will have some uncomfortable decisions to make about who stays in the mix and who heads back to the AHL once the injured forwards are ready to return. [Read more 🡒]