Ralph Backstrom
Encyclopedia
Ralph Gerald Backstrom is a retired Canadian
professional
ice hockey
centre
.
in 1957 and the Memorial Cup
in 1958
.
As a professional, Backstrom joined the Montreal Canadiens
for the 1958-59 season and was selected the NHL's top rookie, receiving the Calder Memorial Trophy
. He played in Montreal for 12 full seasons, winning six Stanley Cup
s and appearing in six National Hockey League All-Star Game
s (1958
, 1959
, 1960, 1962
, 1965
, 1967
). After the 1970–71 season, Backstrom requested a trade and talked about retiring. He reported to training camp, but left the team just before the season opened. After returning to the Canadiens, Backstrom spent most of his time on the bench until being traded to the Los Angeles Kings
in January 1971. Just over two years later, he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks
for Dan Maloney
and finished the 1972–73 season there.
Backstrom then jumped to the World Hockey Association
and joined the Chicago Cougars
, where he played for two years, and later became a part-owner of the team. In his first season, he led the Cougars in scoring with 33 goals and 83 points in 70 games. He also represented Canada at the 1974 Summit Series
on an all-star team of Canadian WHA players. His offensive production dropped sharply in 1974-75 and at the end of the season the new Denver Spurs
selected Backstrom in the WHA's expansion draft. Backstrom was the team's top scorer, but the franchise struggled, and a move to Ottawa
—where the team was renamed the Ottawa Civics
—did not help. The franchise ceased operations 41 games into the season. Backstrom finished the season with the New England Whalers, scoring 35 goals and 83 points over the year. He played one more year with New England and retired in 1977. He would have turned 40 before the start of the next season. Through his professional career, Backstrom had seven 20-goal seasons in the NHL and two 30-goal seasons in the WHA.
, and also a head coach at the University of Denver
, where we won the 1986 Spencer Penrose Award as NCAA coach of the year. Backstrom then coached the Phoenix Roadruners
of the International Hockey League from 1990 to 1992. He was founder and commissioner of Roller Hockey International
, and is currently the president/owner of the Colorado Eagles
of the Central Hockey League
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
.
Playing career
Backstrom played junior hockey with the Montreal Junior Canadiens from 1954 to 1956, and the Ottawa Junior Canadiens from 1956 to 1958. He was captain of the team that won the George Richardson Memorial TrophyGeorge Richardson Memorial Trophy
The George T. Richardson Memorial Trophy was presented annually from 1932 until 1972 by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to the Eastern Canadian Junior "A" Champions. The trophy is named in honour of George T. Richardson, an Allan Cup winner with Queen’s University in 1909...
in 1957 and the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
in 1958
1958 Memorial Cup
The 1958 Memorial Cup final was the 40th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Ottawa-Hull Junior Canadiens an independent team in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Regina Pats of the...
.
As a professional, Backstrom joined the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
for the 1958-59 season and was selected the NHL's top rookie, receiving the Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
. He played in Montreal for 12 full seasons, winning six Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s and appearing in six National Hockey League All-Star Game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
s (1958
12th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 12th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the Montreal Forum on October 4, 1958. The hometown Montreal Canadiens defeated the NHL All-Stars 6–3.-Richard Brother's Lead Canadiens to Victory:...
, 1959
13th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 13th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the Montreal Forum on October 3, 1959, which saw the hometown Montreal Canadiens defeat the NHL all-stars 6–1.- Contracts and eligibility :...
, 1960, 1962
16th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 16th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at Maple Leaf Gardens on October 6, 1962. The hometown Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the NHL all-stars 4–1.-"Entertainer" Wins First All-Star Game MVP Award:...
, 1965
19th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 19th National Hockey League National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Montreal Forum on October 20, 1965, where the host Montreal Canadiens lost to a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams 5–2...
, 1967
20th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 20th National Hockey League National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Montreal Forum on January 16, 1967, where the host Montreal Canadiens defeated a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams 3–0. It was the first time a shutout occurred in an All-Star Game. It was the first...
). After the 1970–71 season, Backstrom requested a trade and talked about retiring. He reported to training camp, but left the team just before the season opened. After returning to the Canadiens, Backstrom spent most of his time on the bench until being traded to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in January 1971. Just over two years later, he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
for Dan Maloney
Dan Maloney
Daniel Charles "Snowshoes" Maloney is a former ice hockey left winger in the NHL and former NHL coach.Drafted 14th overall by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1970 NHL Entry Draft, Maloney played two seasons for the Blackhawks and later played for the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto...
and finished the 1972–73 season there.
Backstrom then jumped to the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
and joined the Chicago Cougars
Chicago Cougars
The Chicago Cougars were an original franchise in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975. The Cougars played their home games in the dilapidated International Amphitheatre. During the 1974 Avco Cup Finals against Gordie Howe and the Houston Aeros, the team's two home games were played at...
, where he played for two years, and later became a part-owner of the team. In his first season, he led the Cougars in scoring with 33 goals and 83 points in 70 games. He also represented Canada at the 1974 Summit Series
1974 Summit Series
The 1974 Summit Series was the second of two competitions between Soviet and Canadian professional ice hockey players. Canada was represented by World Hockey Association players instead of National Hockey League players, as it had been in the 1972 Summit Series. The Soviet team won the series 4-1-3...
on an all-star team of Canadian WHA players. His offensive production dropped sharply in 1974-75 and at the end of the season the new Denver Spurs
Denver Spurs
The Denver Spurs were a professional ice hockey team based out of Denver, Colorado. The Spurs began play in the Western Hockey League in 1968, and played at the Denver Coliseum. The Spurs became the first professional sports team in Colorado to win a championship in 1971–72...
selected Backstrom in the WHA's expansion draft. Backstrom was the team's top scorer, but the franchise struggled, and a move to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
—where the team was renamed the Ottawa Civics
Ottawa Civics
The Ottawa Civics was a professional ice hockey team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that played a portion of one season in the World Hockey Association in a mid-season relocation of the Denver Spurs.-Move to Ottawa:...
—did not help. The franchise ceased operations 41 games into the season. Backstrom finished the season with the New England Whalers, scoring 35 goals and 83 points over the year. He played one more year with New England and retired in 1977. He would have turned 40 before the start of the next season. Through his professional career, Backstrom had seven 20-goal seasons in the NHL and two 30-goal seasons in the WHA.
Awards and achievements
- George Richardson Memorial TrophyGeorge Richardson Memorial TrophyThe George T. Richardson Memorial Trophy was presented annually from 1932 until 1972 by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to the Eastern Canadian Junior "A" Champions. The trophy is named in honour of George T. Richardson, an Allan Cup winner with Queen’s University in 1909...
champion — 1957 - Memorial CupMemorial CupThe Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
champion — 19581958 Memorial CupThe 1958 Memorial Cup final was the 40th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Ottawa-Hull Junior Canadiens an independent team in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Regina Pats of the... - Calder Memorial TrophyCalder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
— 19591958-59 NHL season-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:... - NHL All-Star Games — 195812th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 12th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the Montreal Forum on October 4, 1958. The hometown Montreal Canadiens defeated the NHL All-Stars 6–3.-Richard Brother's Lead Canadiens to Victory:...
, 195913th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 13th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the Montreal Forum on October 3, 1959, which saw the hometown Montreal Canadiens defeat the NHL all-stars 6–1.- Contracts and eligibility :...
, 196014th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 14th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the Montreal Forum on October 1, 1960, which saw the NHL all-stars defeat the hometown Montreal Canadiens 2–1.- A Farewell to the Rocket :...
, 196216th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 16th National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at Maple Leaf Gardens on October 6, 1962. The hometown Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the NHL all-stars 4–1.-"Entertainer" Wins First All-Star Game MVP Award:...
, 196519th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 19th National Hockey League National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Montreal Forum on October 20, 1965, where the host Montreal Canadiens lost to a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams 5–2...
, 196720th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 20th National Hockey League National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Montreal Forum on January 16, 1967, where the host Montreal Canadiens defeated a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams 3–0. It was the first time a shutout occurred in an All-Star Game. It was the first... - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
champion — 19591959 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1959 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the defending champion Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal was making its ninth consecutive appearance in the Final series. It was Toronto's first appearance since 1951...
, 19601960 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1960 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, appearing in their tenth consecutive Final series and the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was a rematch of the 1959 Final. The Canadiens won the series four games to none for their fifth straight Cup victory...
, 19651965 Stanley Cup Finals-References:* Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame . Lord Stanley's Cup. Bolton, Ont.: Fenn Pub. pp 12, 50. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7...
, 19661966 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1966 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the Detroit Red Wings and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to two to win the Stanley Cup for the seventh time in eleven years.-Paths to the final:...
, 19681968 Stanley Cup Finals-References:...
, 19691969 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1969 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series played from April 27 to May 4, 1969, between the defending champions Montreal Canadiens and the St. Louis Blues, the same finalists as in 1968. The Canadiens would win the series in four-straight games....
(with Montreal) - Paul Deneau TrophyPaul Deneau TrophyThe Paul Deneau Trophy was presented annually to the World Hockey Association's most gentlemanly player.It was named in honour of Paul Deneau, founder the Dayton Aeros hockey club.Paul Deneau Trophy Winners*1979 – Kent Nilsson, Winnipeg Jets...
— 19741973-74 WHA season-WHA awards:-See also:*1973 WHA Amateur Draft*List of NHL seasons*List of pre-NHL seasons*1973 in sports*1974 in sports-References:*...
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1954–55 | Montreal Jr. Canadiens Montreal Jr. Canadiens The Montreal Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League from 1933 to 1961, and the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961 to 1972. They played out of the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:... |
QJHL | 21 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1955–56 | Montreal Jr. Canadiens | QJHL | 18 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955–56 1956 Memorial Cup The 1956 Memorial Cup final was the 38th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Regina Pats of the... |
Montreal Jr. Canadiens | M-Cup Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major... |
— | — | — | — | — | 10 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 1956–57 | Ottawa Jr. Canadiens Ottawa Jr. Canadiens The Ottawa Junior Canadiens were a minor ice hockey team affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens. The team was based in Ottawa, ON, and Hull, QC. The team was coached by Scotty Bowman, managed by Sam Pollock and captained by Ralph Backstrom.... |
OHA-Jr. Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
18 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956–57 | Ottawa Jr. Canadiens | EOHL | 18 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956–57 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956–57 1957 Memorial Cup The 1957 Memorial Cup final was the 39th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Ottawa Junior Canadiens an independent team in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Flin Flon Bombers of the... |
Ottawa Jr. Canadiens | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 19 | ||
| 1957–58 | Ottawa Jr. Canadiens | OHA-Jr. | 26 | 24 | 27 | 51 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957–58 | Ottawa Jr. Canadiens | EOHL | 33 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957–58 | Montreal Royals | QHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957–58 1958 Memorial Cup The 1958 Memorial Cup final was the 40th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Ottawa-Hull Junior Canadiens an independent team in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Regina Pats of the... |
Ottawa Jr. Canadiens | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 17 | 9 | 26 | 24 | ||
| 1958–59 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 64 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 1959–60 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 64 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1960–61 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1961–62 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 66 | 27 | 38 | 65 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1962–63 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 23 | 12 | 35 | 51 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1963–64 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1964–65 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 25 | 30 | 55 | 41 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 1965–66 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 67 | 22 | 20 | 42 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1966–67 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 39 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1967–68 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 14 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1968–69 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 72 | 13 | 28 | 41 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 1969–70 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 72 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 33 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 76 | 23 | 29 | 52 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 63 | 20 | 29 | 49 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 16 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 1973–74 | Chicago Cougars Chicago Cougars The Chicago Cougars were an original franchise in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975. The Cougars played their home games in the dilapidated International Amphitheatre. During the 1974 Avco Cup Finals against Gordie Howe and the Houston Aeros, the team's two home games were played at... |
WHA World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926... |
78 | 33 | 50 | 83 | 26 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 4 | ||
| 1975–76 | Ottawa Civics Ottawa Civics The Ottawa Civics was a professional ice hockey team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that played a portion of one season in the World Hockey Association in a mid-season relocation of the Denver Spurs.-Move to Ottawa:... |
WHA | 41 | 21 | 29 | 50 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | New England Whalers | WHA | 38 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 1976–77 | New England Whalers | WHA | 77 | 17 | 31 | 48 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 1032 | 278 | 361 | 639 | 386 | 116 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 68 | ||||
| WHA totals | 234 | 85 | 129 | 214 | 76 | 38 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 12 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | P | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 1974 Summit Series The 1974 Summit Series was the second of two competitions between Soviet and Canadian professional ice hockey players. Canada was represented by World Hockey Association players instead of National Hockey League players, as it had been in the 1972 Summit Series. The Soviet team won the series 4-1-3... |
Canada | Summit-74 Summit Series The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972... |
8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | |
| Senior int'l totals | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | |||
Retirement
After his playing career, Backstrom became an assistant coach in the NHL with the Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and also a head coach at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, where we won the 1986 Spencer Penrose Award as NCAA coach of the year. Backstrom then coached the Phoenix Roadruners
Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL)
The Phoenix Roadrunners were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. The team was housed at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The team played in the IHL from 1989 to 1997. The IHL Roadrunners were named for a World Hockey Association team of the same name...
of the International Hockey League from 1990 to 1992. He was founder and commissioner of Roller Hockey International
Roller Hockey International
Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey....
, and is currently the president/owner of the Colorado Eagles
Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference, where they serve as the "Double-A" affiliate of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and the American Hockey League's St. John's IceCaps...
of the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
.