Player Discussion David Backes IV

[BruinDust]

Maybe stay away from top teir UFA's. Guys like Moore and Nordstrom turned out pretty good value. Belesky and Backes were pretty close to top of their UFA class.

Probably should of phrased it as mid-tier players. Most of the top of UFA classes are what I consider mid-tier non-core players. The 2016 UFA class is a prime example.

I think what we'll see is the UFAs in that 26-27 age range will have the most overall bang for your buck and that's the age group teams should be focused on July 1st, stay away from the 29+ group unless it's a truly elite player like we saw this summer with Tavares.

 

[finchster]

I think the lesson here is just stay away from mid-tier UFAs in general.

I think it is less about staying away from mid-tier guys, which I do agree with, and more about staying away from 30+ year old power forwards and 30+ year old players in general. I mean the Bruins traded Lucic and the rational was at age 27-28 he was at the peak of his value and power forwards decline faster, and I 100% agreed with that. Then the Bruins waste that money on an even older power forward, absolutely infuriating. Not to mention Backes has been a playoff no-show his whole career.

Sweeney has been good shopping in the reduced section of the FA market, but he hasn't signed a guy who has become a core member of the team.

 

[BruinDust]

I think it is less about staying away from mid-tier guys, which I do agree with, and more about staying away from 30+ year old power forwards and 30+ year old players in general. I mean the Bruins traded Lucic and the rational was at age 27-28 he was at the peak of his value and power forwards decline faster, and I 100% agreed with that. Then the Bruins waste that money on an even older power forward, absolutely infuriating. Not to mention Backes has been a playoff no-show his whole career.

Sweeney has been good shopping in the reduced section of the FA market, but he hasn't signed a guy who has become a core member of the team.

No he hasn't and he probably isn't ever going to unless he catches lightning in a bottle with an under-the-radar signing. July 1st isn't the day to add core pieces, even when GMs believe these guys will be core pieces.

Only thing here I disagree with is Backes as a playoff no-show. I watched a lot of his last playoff run in St. Louis the year they lost in the Western Finals, and he was fantastic, possibly their best player that year. I can't speak to other years but that last year he was very good.

 

[The Laukomotive]

I think what we'll see is the UFAs in that 26-27 age range will have the most overall bang for your buck and that's the age group teams should be focused on July 1st, stay away from the 29+ group unless it's a truly elite player like we saw this summer with Tavares.

Tavares was 27 in July though.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

last night's debacle might have soured me on David Backes forever.

I'm not one of the typical knuckle-dragger crowd, but when a guy lauded for his leadership and toughness has 1 point in 14 games and doesn't do a damn thing when your star player gets run then it's at the point where you have to wonder what is he even good for at this point?

Last night was a perfect opportunity for him to step up and show that he's willing to do anything to help the team and he was invisible. And look, I get that he's got the concussion issues. If he simply can't fight any more because of head injuries then he should probably not even be playing. I get that he's overpaid and will never be a 50 point 2 way force ever again, but he can make himself useful by being that guy willing to go to war for his teammates and he can't even do that now.

 

[Blowfish]

last night's debacle might have soured me on David Backes forever.

I'm not one of the typical knuckle-dragger crowd, but when a guy lauded for his leadership and toughness has 1 point in 14 games and doesn't do a damn thing when your star player gets run then it's at the point where you have to wonder what is he even good for at this point?

Last night was a perfect opportunity for him to step up and show that he's willing to do anything to help the team and he was invisible. And look, I get that he's got the concussion issues. If he simply can't fight any more because of head injuries then he should probably not even be playing. I get that he's overpaid and will never be a 50 point 2 way force ever again, but he can make himself useful by being that guy willing to go to war for his teammates and he can't even do that now.

It's a very bad situation and there must be some players in Boston/Providence a little pissed about this entire situation.

 

[Sheppy]

The only point Backes has this year was because it bounced off him at the front of the net. He's toast. Done. Cooked.

 

[BiGBear8]

jacobs eat it and put him on waivers give another player a shot wtf cares done already.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

The only point Backes has this year was because it bounced off him at the front of the net. He's toast. Done. Cooked.

Sadly, I agree. Doesn't seem like Boston can do anything about it, though. Maybe sitting him for awhile and playing someone else? Seems unlikely anyone would trade for him.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Sadly, I agree. Doesn't seem like Boston can do anything about it, though. Maybe sitting him for awhile and playing someone else? Seems unlikely anyone would trade for him.

LTIR next year ala Savard. Seattle picks him up for the last year of his deal to reach the floor.

Some point in December they'll decide if he can help the 4th line still. He probably has 10 more games to lock down that job. Can't be sent to Providence where he could actually help us out a lot.

He wasn't bad the first 2 regular seasons and did pick up quite a few injuries. Thats what agents are for guys can fall off very quickly after turning 30 these days.

I don't think we are in that much of a rush to pull the plug because we'll likely have to sign a similar player like Stempniak or trade for one.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

I'd be surprised if Seattle takes on any garbage contracts. there will be a lot of pressure on them to succeed like Vegas did so they'll at least be going for Marchessault & Reilly Smith type contracts where the player might thrive in a new city, not guys like Backes who are clearly cooked.

 

[Chief Nine]

Did they though? And were they really serious or did they simply meet with him because he said they were a finalist and it would give them some positive press? I recall at the time they never discussed the terms of their offer, other than saying it was "competitive" whatever that means. It was pretty much assumed he was either going to stay in Long Island or end up in Toronto if he left. So were the Bruins truly in on Tavares or were they just along for the ride?

I personally don't think they were truly in it, and were there for perception's sake only.

If, and we all know the outcome but anyway, for the sake of discussion, IF the Bruins won the Tavares sweepstakes it was pretty much a given that they would have had to move Krejci or Backes which would have been tough as they wouldn't have been dealing from a position of strength moving #46 and would likely not have many takers for #42 and his entire salary. So there wasn't cap space to have them all realistically

 

[JRull86]

jacobs eat it and put him on waivers give another player a shot wtf cares done already.

Yeah...doesn't work that way.

Bruins do that, and their cap is a mess for a few years.

Not to mention, he has a NMC, so they can't waive him unless he agrees.

 

[Chief Nine]

Yeah...doesn't work that way.

Bruins do that, and their cap is a mess for a few years.

And never mind what message that sends to agents and players around the league

 

[chizzler]

If, and we all know the outcome but anyway, for the sake of discussion, IF the Bruins won the Tavares sweepstakes it was pretty much a given that they would have had to move Krejci or Backes which would have been tough as they wouldn't have been dealing from a position of strength moving #46 and would likely not have many takers for #42 and his entire salary. So there wasn't cap space to have them all realistically

They had to have had a deal in the works already to consume Tavares’ deal.
As far as Backes, he’s tentative. You can see it when guys go at him. He’s holding back. No way he doesn’t drop them against that kid giving him grief in Arizona. Playing that way is going to get him hurt again.

 

[Chief Nine]

They had to have had a deal in the works already to consume Tavares’ deal.
As far as Backes, he’s tentative. You can see it when guys go at him. He’s holding back. No way he doesn’t drop them against that kid giving him grief in Arizona. Playing that way is going to get him hurt again.

Which I'm not so sure they did or wanted to because of what I posted above. It reinforces @LSCII 's point that they likely weren't really in it as 100% committed

 

[Mick Riddleton]

LTIR next year ala Savard. Seattle picks him up for the last year of his deal to reach the floor.

Some point in December they'll decide if he can help the 4th line still. He probably has 10 more games to lock down that job. Can't be sent to Providence where he could actually help us out a lot.

He wasn't bad the first 2 regular seasons and did pick up quite a few injuries. Thats what agents are for guys can fall off very quickly after turning 30 these days.

I don't think we are in that much of a rush to pull the plug because we'll likely have to sign a similar player like Stempniak or trade for one.

Stempniak would be a huge improvement, he can still actually score and skate

 

[bob27]

I guess the plan is to hope he catches second wind by some miracle. If not, move him into Providence for the rest of his contract once his NMC ends. You'd have to pay a pretty hefty fee to dump him into some cap floor team. Not even the most desperate teams want to burn ~5 million real dollars without a fantastic compensation package of future assets. The completely unenforced cap troubles with Backes & Beleskey eating almost 8 million dollars are going to suck.

 

[DKH]

Even when the Bruins win the Cup in 2020 and after 112 and 105 point seasons in 2017-18 & 2018-19 I still would fire Sweeney and his entire staff after the 2020 draft but before July 1 free agency.

We can’t have a GM making mistakes like Beleskey & Backes.

It would be unprecedented especially if he wins as I expect executive of the year but as Bruins fans we deserve perfection.

Id like Tim Murray - his finger prints are all over the Sabres who are looking very good.

Tim Murray would be an epic icon in Boston

 

[ap3lovr]

I can blame Sweeney for Beleskey. There was little indication he was the player that posted up point in Anaheim. I can't blame him for Backes. This is not a case of taking a gamble. This is a case of injuries bringing a perennial player down before his expiration date. Players get injured, you can't shy away from contracts because you are worried someone might get hurt.

I still think Backes should be in concussion protocol. He is simply lost and stuck chasing the play. He is not even in a position to engage physically because he is 2 steps behind. He looks like a player that has come back from a head injury too early. Give it time and his mental game will come back I just don't want to see him working through it on the ice. I would rather he sit for 3 months to get his head back on his shoulders.

All this pressure on him to take the body and "be physical" is going to lead to him hurting someone. He is simply not thinking the game. Telling someone that is mentally 2 steps away to take the body is a good way to have a young player leave the ice on a stretcher. If he takes that body late or out of position he will hurt someone and that isn't something I want to see. I understand the frustration, but it should be with the coaching and medical staff at this point because it is clear to almost anyone watching that Backes is not in game shape right noe.

 

[Dizzay]

Backes needs to go!
He can't get up the ice fast enough, even as a 4th line player to attempt a hit.
He has one assist this season and makes 6 million dollars.
Health or not, get him outta here asap. He's a waste on this team and a terrible UFA signing.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I hate to say it but with all the injuries piling up they need Backes. Despite his Jason Allison end of career like playing

 

[Blowfish]

Backes needs to go!
He can't get up the ice fast enough, even as a 4th line player to attempt a hit.
He has one assist this season and makes 6 million dollars.
Health or not, get him outta here asap. He's a waste on this team and a terrible UFA signing.

He won't be going down without his bonus due next year. Not sure if being on IR impacts the bonus. My guess is it does (pro-rated payment).

 

[GlenFeatherstone]

He won't be going down without his bonus due next year. Not sure if being on IR impacts the bonus. My guess is it does (pro-rated payment).

Bonus is paid on July 1 if I remember correctly. He is owed $3M at that time. After that payment, he is owed only $5M in actual money the final 2 years. So while the cap hit is high, the actual dollars are quite low. So I don’t think he would be traded until after that bonus is paid by the Bs. I do think a team looking at the cap hit as salary cap filler might be interested with the actual dollars so low.

 

[Tbrady12]

Stempniak would be a huge improvement, he can still actually score and skate

If Stempniak is the answer why have not any of the 31 teams in the NHL signed him to a deal.