Career
He was drafted by the World Hockey Association"s Quebec Nordiques in the seventh round, one-hundredth overall, of the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft. However, he never played in that league. Despite being un-drafted in the National Hockey League, he played eighteen regular-season and ten playoff games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers over three seasons.
Backman first played National Hockey League hockey with the Rangers in the 1981-1982 season, playing three games.
He registered two assists that first year and the following year scored his first National Hockey League goal.