Granlund already familiar with Backstrom
Mikael Granlund - W - Minnesota Wild
Jan. 9, 2013 - 11:25 AM ET
Mikael Granlund already has a good working relationship with Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom.
Backstrom partially owns HIFK Helsinki, which is the Finnish team Granlund played for before heading to AHL Houston this season. "The last couple years, I reminded him I was his boss. Now that he's my teammate, I have to be nice with him," Backstrom said jokingly. With the lockout over, Granlund will join the Minnesota Wild amid high expectations. He was great in the AHL during the work stoppage and should get top six minutes. That being said, some of the potential pressure and media scrutiny that he might have gotten should be deflected by the arrival of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
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