th pro bout and defended his title 15 times, one of those

CALGARY - Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley says hes sleeping easier where Mikael Backlund is concerned.When an NHL coach candidly tells reporters Im worried, which is what Hartley said earlier in training camp about Backlund, antennas go up.An abdominal injury has kept Backlund out of all of Calgarys pre-season games so far, including Thursdays game at home against the Winnipeg Jets. Its doubtful the 25-year-old Swede will play in Calgarys final exhibition game Saturday in Winnipeg.Backlund was Calgarys first-line centre for much of last season. A team that must squeeze every last goal out of its roster in 2014-15 will need all hands on deck when the Flames open the season Wednesday at home against the Vancouver Canucks.Backlund stopped skating and dryland training for a few days during camp, but has returned to the ice and the gym. Hartley was feeling more encouraged about Backlund than he was a week ago.When you have a guy in the gym or in the medical room and his injury seems to be stalled and not moving forward, you always get worried, Hartley said Thursday. Backs has the OK from the medical staff. He feels better. This morning he was flying on the ice.Now hes back in the gym, hes on the ice, so now were re-starting him. Im delighted now.Backlund arrived at Flames training camp feeling sore from off-season training in Sweden. The six-foot, 198-pound forward became uneasy about the possibility the injury required surgery.It didnt go away. It got worse, Backlund said. A week ago, we werent sure what was going to happen. I went to see the doctor and got good news and got some good treatment and thats why its been turning around and feeling a lot better.Backlund skated this week with other injured players, but is expected to participate in full practice Friday. Hartley hopes hell be ready for the season-opener.Obviously I will wait for the green light from the doctors, Hartley said. Were going to play Mikael Backlund when we feel hes 100 per cent on the medical side and hockey-wise.The good part is he knows our systems. Its not like were putting him in Game 1 or Game 2 of the season and were worried hes going to turn left when hes supposed to turn right.Calgarys first-round pick (27th overall) in 2007 started slowly last season with two goals and six assists in his first 25 games. Backlund picked up the pace to finish with 18 goals and 21 assists in 79 games.Backlund tied for third in the NHL in short-handed goals with four and averaged 18 and a half minutes ice time per game. Backlund missed the final five games of the season with a thumb injury.I want to be better than last year, obviously, so higher than 39 (points). Ill say that out loud, he said. My goal is to have a good 82, hopefully play 82 games, and be consistent all year and not have a start like I had last year.Its my goal to be a team leader the whole season.Hes in the final year of a two-year contract that pays him $1.5 million annually, according to Capgeek.com. Backlund will become a restricted free agent next summer unless the Flames sign him to an extension.When Calgarys season concluded April 13, Backlund joined Sweden for the IIHF mens world hockey championship in Minsk, Belarus, in May.He was named an assistant captain and contributed five goals and three assists in 10 games. Backlund scored one of those goals in the bronze-medal game, which Sweden won 3-0 over the Czech Republic.Backlund had played for his country at the world championships in 2010 and 2011, but was given far more responsibility on and off the ice in Minsk.Especially to get a letter on my chest for the national team, I really proud of that, Backlund said. 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"I am honoured and appreciative to be chosen, and I thank everyone who has been a part of this journey with me," De La Hoya said in a statement released by the Hall of Fame. "This is the dream of everyone who puts on a pair of gloves and steps between the ropes and through the good and the bad. You always hope that when all is said and done you put on good fights, entertained the fans, and will be remembered for what you did in the ring. "To know that I will be in the Hall of Fame with the greats of this sport is humbling, but its also put a smile on my face that isnt coming off anytime soon." De La Hoya headlines the class of 2014 announced Wednesday, and two of his contemporaries in the modern era -- Puerto Rican star Felix "Tito" Trinidad and Joe Calzaghe of Wales -- will join him on stage June 8 at the induction ceremony in Canastota, N.Y. Joining the hard-punching trio are George Chaney, Charles Ledoux and Mike ODowd in the old-timer category, while Tom Allen is the lone honoree in the pioneer category. The Hall of Fames 25th class also includes promoter Barry Hearn, referees Richard Steele and Eugene Corri, journalist Graham Houston and veteran Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer in the non-participant and observer categories. Inductees were selected by the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians. De La Hoya had an amateur record of 223-5 with 153 knockouts and won the lightweight gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He turned pro later that year and captured his first world title, the WBO super-featherweight crown, in only his 12th bout. De La Hoya also won titles as a lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight. Hiis 2007 bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.dddddddddddd was one of the richest in boxing history, attracting nearly 2.5 million pay-per-view fans. He retired after a 2008 loss to Manny Pacquiao with a professional record of 39-6 with 30 knockouts and in 2002 established Golden Boy Promotions. The fame hasnt come without some of the bad. De La Hoya admitted himself to a treatment facility in September as he continues to fight substance abuse. The move came on the eve of the biggest fight of the year for his promotion company between Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez. De La Hoya first admitted two years ago that he was an alcoholic and drug user and had been in treatment. Trained by his father, Trinidad began boxing at age 10 in his native Puerto Rico and became one of its most accomplished fighters, posting a 51-6 amateur record before turning pro. He stopped Maurice Blocker in two rounds to capture the IBF welterweight crown in his 20th pro bout and defended his title 15 times, one of those a controversial 12-round majority decision over De La Hoya. Trinidad moved up in weight to win the WBA light middleweight title from David Reid in March 2000 and later that year unified titles with a 12th-round knockout against IBF champ Fernando Vargas. In 2001, he became a three-division champion with a fifth-round knockout of William Joppy for the WBA middleweight title. The three-time world champ was a fan favourite because of his big-punching style and devastating left hook. "This is a great honour for me, my father, my family and my whole team," said Trinidad, who retired in 2009 with a record of 42-3 with 35 knockouts. "This is the biggest triumph of my career." Calzaghe was the Rocky Marciano of his division -- nobody beat him in 46 professional bouts, which included a division-record 21 defences of his super middleweight title. "Im so excited," Calzaghe said. "Im very proud and humbled. I think its amazing. This is a massive, massive honour, just fantastic." ' ' '