Backlund played another two seasons for Västerås HK, splitting time in the J20 SuperElit and HockeyAllsvenskan. During this time, he was selected in the first round, 24th overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Scouts had ranked him second amongst European skaters. Following the 2007–08 season, Backlund signed an entry-level contract with the Flames. He impressed during the rookie camp but was not as successful during the main training camp, and started the 2008–09 season playing on loan for Västerås back in HockeyAllsvenskan. After his success in the 2009 World Junior Championships, he returned to Calgary and made his NHL debut on 8 January 2009, in a 5–2 win against the New York Islanders. Soon thereafter, the Flames assigned him to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the remainder of the 2008–09 season. Competing for the Rockets in the 2009 WHL playoffs, Backlund tied teammate Jamie Benn for the League lead with 13 goals in 19 games as Kelowna defeated the Calgary Hitmen in the final to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup.