Mike Babcock, Mattias Backman, Ryan Sproul

Mattias Backman, left, receives instruction from Red Wings coach Mike Babcock during a preseason game in late September. At right is defenseman Ryan Sproul.

(AP file photo)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Detroit Red Wings organization is preaching patience and perseverance to defenseman Mattias Backman, who has been frustrated with his spotty playing time his first full season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Backman, the Red Wings’ fifth choice (145th overall) in the 2011 draft, has been a healthy scratch seven times in 25 games so far. He would not say if he will finish the season in Grand Rapids or return to Sweden where he played four years with Linkoping of the Swedish Hockey League.

"I don't know. I don't have much to say about that," he said of a Swedish report that he might leave to return to the SHL.

Mattias Backman

The 6-foot-3, 176-pound Backman has four assists and a plus-minus of minus-3 this season. He played both games last weekend at Oklahoma City, but that came with Xavier Ouellet recalled to the Red Wings.

Before signing a three-year entry level contract with Detroit in May, 2013, Backman had played all but two of his amateur and professional games in Linkoping – starting with the junior 18 elites in 2007.

He had been with the SHL team regularly since early in the 2011-12 season. He arrived to Grand Rapids late last season and appeared in 10 playoff games, with six points (1-5-6).

Defenseman Mattias Backman appeared in 10 playoff games for the Griffins last season.

“I play almost four years in Swedish league and played on national teams, so it’s kind of weird you don’t play here," Backman said. "In my opinion, the Swedish league is much better than here. But it’s like different hockey, so it’s hard to compare. You have to get used to the smaller rinks.”

Red Wings General manager Ken Holland said he has spoken with Backman’s agent “two or three times” in the past week, and that assistant GM Ryan Martin has met with him.

Holland said Mattias is going through a transition that, while difficult now, can make him a better player in the long term.

“I know he’s been disappointed and frustrated,” Holland said. “When you play regularly in the Swedish Elite League and you come to North America and you’re a healthy scratch in the American League, you feel like you’re going backward.

“I’ve been in the game since 1975 in pro hockey, for 10 years as a minor league goaltender. Adversity and competition are wonderful things, and learning to fight through the adversity, learning to fight through the competition, learning to compete every day in practice and wait for your opportunity to get in the lineup and take somebody’s job, that’s what we’ve tried to build the Red Wings on."

Holland said the organization is “happy with him” and his progress.

For his part, Backman said he doesn’t want to be a distraction to the organization. He just wants an opportunity to play.

“I want to develop,” he said. “I came here to play hockey and to develop and to someday make the NHL. That’s my base goal. But if I’m not playing, I won’t be able to get to a higher level. But I also know there are a lot of good players here, too … We have a pretty good team and pretty good guys here.”

Griffins coach Jeff Blashill has also talked with Backman about the adjustment to the AHL.

“What I’ve talked to him about is making sure that when he gets his opportunities, he’s ready to play great,” Blashill said. “That’s the No. 1 thing he can control is his play. He can’t control my decision on who to play. We have a lot belief in Mattias. We think he is a real good hockey play now, and we think he’s going to develop into a better hockey player.”

The Griffins are carrying seven defensemen, which leaves someone as a scratch. As long as Ouellet is in Detroit, Backman will likely continue to play. How well he plays will determine how much he plays when Ouellet returns when Stephen Weiss (shoulder separation) comes back. That could be as early as Sunday.

The Griffins, meanwhile, have three games in four days, starting at home Friday against Toronto. They are at Lake Erie on Saturday and Chicago on Monday.

MLive Red Wings beat writer Ansar Khan contributed to this report.

Pete Wallner covers sports for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at pwallner@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.