Player Discussion David Backes VI

[neelynugs]

He has back issues, but not to the point that it would require surgery is my belief.

Backes has been working on his skating with a skating guru. My only hope is that guru is Danielle Logano. She did wonders for Kevan Miller.

He's been working on it most of the summer, so I don't think his back is hindering him that much.

game-changer. i guess he's not a LTIR option. could end up in providence.

 

[NiftyWasNasty]

I have always been a fan of the way David Backes plays the game and handles himself outside of the rink, so I was pretty excited when the Bruins signed him. I’m sure I will be labeled a fan boy but none the less here are my thoughts.

His tenure here has been one curve ball after another…

In 2015/16 he played a total of 99 games with 28+31=59 (.596) and a healthy 332 hits (3.35). When his Blues were eliminated from the Western Conference finals his future was less then certain. For the first six weeks the only thing the Backes family knew was that they would have to wait for July 1st to know their fate. It is a tough way to live, knowing the best offer was likely going to be somewhere new but waiting to decide where you’re going or if you’re going at all. There was open dialog with St Louis and reportedly an offer on the table, but they likely knew he would be leaving.

When July 1st finally rolled around, the Backes family had their pick of deals and they decided on Boston for their next chapter. That meant they were on the move and it would have to be quick because he was off to the World Cup in short order. It was about six weeks to pack up 10 years of life and move your family halfway across the country. Everything from buying and selling a house to figuring out were the best stores are would distract from his normal off-season training routine.

The much-hyped World Cup tournament turned out to be just some practices and 4 crappy games but more importantly he was 2 weeks late for the start of his first Bruins training camp. It would appear his missed preseason and unfamiliarity with Julien’s complicated system left him stranded on the wing.

It was just a few weeks into the season when he had his first surgery as a Bruin, a minor procedure to address a Bursa sac issue in his elbow and a few days off to make sure it didn’t get infected. Around Christmas time he was out of the line up again, this time with an “upper body” injury which turned out to be his first concussion as a Bruin. February brought another coaching change for him, his 3rd head coach in less than a year. In mid-March he suffered a knee injury when he went into the boards awkwardly and yet he still led the team in hits with 254 hits (3.18) and put up 42 points (.525) in the 80 games he played. Considering what he went through and the fact that Julien’s system always reduced players offensive production it would appear that he earned his paycheck in that first season.

During his first full off-season in Boston he trained hard and focused on loosing weight and getting quicker, but it would appear that he went to far which likely triggered his bout with diverticulitis. By the start of November he was under the knife for the second time as a Bruin, this time a much more serious procedure having 10” of his colon removed. In mid-March he suffered a deep laceration on his leg from a freak incident, it required two layers of stiches and in early May his second concussion as a Bruin. He only played 69 games that year but put up 42 points (.580) and registered 169 hits (2.45). Again, given what he went through he would appear to have earned his paycheck for year 2.

Last October he arrived at camp even lighter having trained hard again all summer. In just the first week of play he suffered his 3rd concussion as a Bruin, just 5 months after his last one. By Thanksgiving he appeared to be getting his groove back but then in early December he took a skate to the face and was clearly “off” again. He spent the rest of the season laboring and struggling to find a way to contribute, even going as far as taking on the “enforcer” roll for his teammates despite his concussion issues. This was by far his worst season of production as a Bruin with only 25 points (.294) in 85 games and 190 hits (2.25), he defiantly did not earn his paycheck like the previous 2 seasons but I’m not so sure it’s because he has completely lost his game.

I have read a lot of posts calling this a horrible contract from the start and “the worst signing” by this front office but to be clear that is just ridiculous. I am not trying to claim he has been great but when you actually take the time to apply some context to his situation it is clear that the injuries and hurdles he has been beset with are not something that was predictable. Seriously someone go find me the post that stated “this is a bad deal because he is going to have 10 inches of his colon removed and suffer 3 concussions”, I certainly don’t remember reading it.

The general consensus of the nay sayers when this deal was signed was that it was too long (by a year or two), not that he would suffer freak injuries and illnesses. Sure, there were a few of you that just didn’t like it all together, but the results don’t support your belief, just because he has struggled doesn’t mean you were right.

Moving forward it would appear the front office is willing to give him a shot at redeeming himself and I’m OK with that. He has been training hard and working on his skating this off season and his pride has always been his motivator.

I don’t think he is done and I truly believe he will redeem himself, with that being said, I also believe the front office will move him if he does indeed improve his trade value.

Flame away HF...flame away....

 

[missingchicklet]

I have always been a fan of the way David Backes plays the game and handles himself outside of the rink, so I was pretty excited when the Bruins signed him. I’m sure I will be labeled a fan boy but none the less here are my thoughts.

His tenure here has been one curve ball after another…

In 2015/16 he played a total of 99 games with 28+31=59 (.596) and a healthy 332 hits (3.35). When his Blues were eliminated from the Western Conference finals his future was less then certain. For the first six weeks the only thing the Backes family knew was that they would have to wait for July 1st to know their fate. It is a tough way to live, knowing the best offer was likely going to be somewhere new but waiting to decide where you’re going or if you’re going at all. There was open dialog with St Louis and reportedly an offer on the table, but they likely knew he would be leaving.

When July 1st finally rolled around, the Backes family had their pick of deals and they decided on Boston for their next chapter. That meant they were on the move and it would have to be quick because he was off to the World Cup in short order. It was about six weeks to pack up 10 years of life and move your family halfway across the country. Everything from buying and selling a house to figuring out were the best stores are would distract from his normal off-season training routine.

The much-hyped World Cup tournament turned out to be just some practices and 4 crappy games but more importantly he was 2 weeks late for the start of his first Bruins training camp. It would appear his missed preseason and unfamiliarity with Julien’s complicated system left him stranded on the wing.

It was just a few weeks into the season when he had his first surgery as a Bruin, a minor procedure to address a Bursa sac issue in his elbow and a few days off to make sure it didn’t get infected. Around Christmas time he was out of the line up again, this time with an “upper body” injury which turned out to be his first concussion as a Bruin. February brought another coaching change for him, his 3rd head coach in less than a year. In mid-March he suffered a knee injury when he went into the boards awkwardly and yet he still led the team in hits with 254 hits (3.18) and put up 42 points (.525) in the 80 games he played. Considering what he went through and the fact that Julien’s system always reduced players offensive production it would appear that he earned his paycheck in that first season.

During his first full off-season in Boston he trained hard and focused on loosing weight and getting quicker, but it would appear that he went to far which likely triggered his bout with diverticulitis. By the start of November he was under the knife for the second time as a Bruin, this time a much more serious procedure having 10” of his colon removed. In mid-March he suffered a deep laceration on his leg from a freak incident, it required two layers of stiches and in early May his second concussion as a Bruin. He only played 69 games that year but put up 42 points (.580) and registered 169 hits (2.45). Again, given what he went through he would appear to have earned his paycheck for year 2.

Last October he arrived at camp even lighter having trained hard again all summer. In just the first week of play he suffered his 3rd concussion as a Bruin, just 5 months after his last one. By Thanksgiving he appeared to be getting his groove back but then in early December he took a skate to the face and was clearly “off” again. He spent the rest of the season laboring and struggling to find a way to contribute, even going as far as taking on the “enforcer” roll for his teammates despite his concussion issues. This was by far his worst season of production as a Bruin with only 25 points (.294) in 85 games and 190 hits (2.25), he defiantly did not earn his paycheck like the previous 2 seasons but I’m not so sure it’s because he has completely lost his game.

I have read a lot of posts calling this a horrible contract from the start and “the worst signing” by this front office but to be clear that is just ridiculous. I am not trying to claim he has been great but when you actually take the time to apply some context to his situation it is clear that the injuries and hurdles he has been beset with are not something that was predictable. Seriously someone go find me the post that stated “this is a bad deal because he is going to have 10 inches of his colon removed and suffer 3 concussions”, I certainly don’t remember reading it.

The general consensus of the nay sayers when this deal was signed was that it was too long (by a year or two), not that he would suffer freak injuries and illnesses. Sure, there were a few of you that just didn’t like it all together, but the results don’t support your belief, just because he has struggled doesn’t mean you were right.

Moving forward it would appear the front office is willing to give him a shot at redeeming himself and I’m OK with that. He has been training hard and working on his skating this off season and his pride has always been his motivator.

I don’t think he is done and I truly believe he will redeem himself, with that being said, I also believe the front office will move him if he does indeed improve his trade value.

Flame away HF...flame away....

I agree that the front office will move him if they get the chance. They surely would have already done that if they could have. Definitely props to Backes for busting his tail to come back from all the serious injuries, and in most cases earlier than what was expected. He has been paid handsomely by the Bs, so I think he has tried his best to do as much as he can to live up to his contract. Cannot question the man's character and drive to play hockey. I hope you are right that he will redeem himself. I am a doubter that it will happen after seeing where his game was late in the season and in the playoffs, but I sure as heck would love to see a Backes' rejuvenation. It would be a big boost to the team if he could be a quality top-nine contributor.

 

[kdog82]

I think he has an aching back. LTIR

 

[Estlin]

I am a doubter that it will happen after seeing where his game was late in the season and in the playoffs, but I sure as heck would love to see a Backes' rejuvenation. It would be a big boost to the team if he could be a quality top-nine contributor.

I doubt it too. There’s no escaping Father Time, and there’s just no way he’s a top-nine forward anymore, let alone a regular contributor.

 

[Blowfish]

Didn’t backes do the skating improvement thing last summer? Now he has a new skating coach guru?

 

[Absurdity]

Didn’t backes do the skating improvement thing last summer? Now he has a new skating coach guru?

In my opinion, his skating improved last season. The problem was maintaining that pace of play for a long period of time which he was unable to do. Though, he did look like a player that had a concussion, colon surgery, and his face bladed in one season.

It takes some guys more than a season to recover from a concussion, Backes has had multiple. Playing a few weeks after getting colon surgery is nuts to me, but he did it.

 

[DKH]

Kukla's Korner Hockey - Kukla's Korner

 

[Boston Bandit]

I have always been a fan of the way David Backes plays the game and handles himself outside of the rink, so I was pretty excited when the Bruins signed him. I’m sure I will be labeled a fan boy but none the less here are my thoughts.

His tenure here has been one curve ball after another…

In 2015/16 he played a total of 99 games with 28+31=59 (.596) and a healthy 332 hits (3.35). When his Blues were eliminated from the Western Conference finals his future was less then certain. For the first six weeks the only thing the Backes family knew was that they would have to wait for July 1st to know their fate. It is a tough way to live, knowing the best offer was likely going to be somewhere new but waiting to decide where you’re going or if you’re going at all. There was open dialog with St Louis and reportedly an offer on the table, but they likely knew he would be leaving.

When July 1st finally rolled around, the Backes family had their pick of deals and they decided on Boston for their next chapter. That meant they were on the move and it would have to be quick because he was off to the World Cup in short order. It was about six weeks to pack up 10 years of life and move your family halfway across the country. Everything from buying and selling a house to figuring out were the best stores are would distract from his normal off-season training routine.

The much-hyped World Cup tournament turned out to be just some practices and 4 crappy games but more importantly he was 2 weeks late for the start of his first Bruins training camp. It would appear his missed preseason and unfamiliarity with Julien’s complicated system left him stranded on the wing.

It was just a few weeks into the season when he had his first surgery as a Bruin, a minor procedure to address a Bursa sac issue in his elbow and a few days off to make sure it didn’t get infected. Around Christmas time he was out of the line up again, this time with an “upper body” injury which turned out to be his first concussion as a Bruin. February brought another coaching change for him, his 3rd head coach in less than a year. In mid-March he suffered a knee injury when he went into the boards awkwardly and yet he still led the team in hits with 254 hits (3.18) and put up 42 points (.525) in the 80 games he played. Considering what he went through and the fact that Julien’s system always reduced players offensive production it would appear that he earned his paycheck in that first season.

During his first full off-season in Boston he trained hard and focused on loosing weight and getting quicker, but it would appear that he went to far which likely triggered his bout with diverticulitis. By the start of November he was under the knife for the second time as a Bruin, this time a much more serious procedure having 10” of his colon removed. In mid-March he suffered a deep laceration on his leg from a freak incident, it required two layers of stiches and in early May his second concussion as a Bruin. He only played 69 games that year but put up 42 points (.580) and registered 169 hits (2.45). Again, given what he went through he would appear to have earned his paycheck for year 2.

Last October he arrived at camp even lighter having trained hard again all summer. In just the first week of play he suffered his 3rd concussion as a Bruin, just 5 months after his last one. By Thanksgiving he appeared to be getting his groove back but then in early December he took a skate to the face and was clearly “off” again. He spent the rest of the season laboring and struggling to find a way to contribute, even going as far as taking on the “enforcer” roll for his teammates despite his concussion issues. This was by far his worst season of production as a Bruin with only 25 points (.294) in 85 games and 190 hits (2.25), he defiantly did not earn his paycheck like the previous 2 seasons but I’m not so sure it’s because he has completely lost his game.

I have read a lot of posts calling this a horrible contract from the start and “the worst signing” by this front office but to be clear that is just ridiculous. I am not trying to claim he has been great but when you actually take the time to apply some context to his situation it is clear that the injuries and hurdles he has been beset with are not something that was predictable. Seriously someone go find me the post that stated “this is a bad deal because he is going to have 10 inches of his colon removed and suffer 3 concussions”, I certainly don’t remember reading it.

The general consensus of the nay sayers when this deal was signed was that it was too long (by a year or two), not that he would suffer freak injuries and illnesses. Sure, there were a few of you that just didn’t like it all together, but the results don’t support your belief, just because he has struggled doesn’t mean you were right.

Moving forward it would appear the front office is willing to give him a shot at redeeming himself and I’m OK with that. He has been training hard and working on his skating this off season and his pride has always been his motivator.

I don’t think he is done and I truly believe he will redeem himself, with that being said, I also believe the front office will move him if he does indeed improve his trade value.

Flame away HF...flame away....

Tremendous detail in this.. I would rather read this than most of the garbage sports writers. Great post!

 

[mjhfb]

Kukla's Korner Hockey - Kukla's Korner

This is a DB thread but you could argue that KM was exactly what the Bruins needed in the finals.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

Backes had a .29 ppg average. Kulman had a .45 ppg avg. The big difference is that Backes got 70 games to suck, while KK got only 11.

You are right about Kuhlman, he even out produced him in the playoffs with a impressive .45 pts per game pace as a rookie. I get being a fanboy but this place sometimes. Heck Backes suffered the same fate as Eriksson with injuries. Except Eriksson took a lot more heat in here by comparison, yet was tied for Second in pts his last year here at .77 pts per game.

Something of note Backes got a chunk of his pts on the powerplay which the other guys never had. He had 20 pts total and 7 on the PP, even strength Backes is at .18 pts per game during the year. Wags was at .25 in the regular season 5 on 5. Backes did out produce Bjork and Ritchie but that is sadly putting the bar pretty low.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I have always been a fan of the way David Backes plays the game and handles himself outside of the rink, so I was pretty excited when the Bruins signed him. I’m sure I will be labeled a fan boy but none the less here are my thoughts.

His tenure here has been one curve ball after another…

In 2015/16 he played a total of 99 games with 28+31=59 (.596) and a healthy 332 hits (3.35). When his Blues were eliminated from the Western Conference finals his future was less then certain. For the first six weeks the only thing the Backes family knew was that they would have to wait for July 1st to know their fate. It is a tough way to live, knowing the best offer was likely going to be somewhere new but waiting to decide where you’re going or if you’re going at all. There was open dialog with St Louis and reportedly an offer on the table, but they likely knew he would be leaving.

When July 1st finally rolled around, the Backes family had their pick of deals and they decided on Boston for their next chapter. That meant they were on the move and it would have to be quick because he was off to the World Cup in short order. It was about six weeks to pack up 10 years of life and move your family halfway across the country. Everything from buying and selling a house to figuring out were the best stores are would distract from his normal off-season training routine.

The much-hyped World Cup tournament turned out to be just some practices and 4 crappy games but more importantly he was 2 weeks late for the start of his first Bruins training camp. It would appear his missed preseason and unfamiliarity with Julien’s complicated system left him stranded on the wing.

It was just a few weeks into the season when he had his first surgery as a Bruin, a minor procedure to address a Bursa sac issue in his elbow and a few days off to make sure it didn’t get infected. Around Christmas time he was out of the line up again, this time with an “upper body” injury which turned out to be his first concussion as a Bruin. February brought another coaching change for him, his 3rd head coach in less than a year. In mid-March he suffered a knee injury when he went into the boards awkwardly and yet he still led the team in hits with 254 hits (3.18) and put up 42 points (.525) in the 80 games he played. Considering what he went through and the fact that Julien’s system always reduced players offensive production it would appear that he earned his paycheck in that first season.

During his first full off-season in Boston he trained hard and focused on loosing weight and getting quicker, but it would appear that he went to far which likely triggered his bout with diverticulitis. By the start of November he was under the knife for the second time as a Bruin, this time a much more serious procedure having 10” of his colon removed. In mid-March he suffered a deep laceration on his leg from a freak incident, it required two layers of stiches and in early May his second concussion as a Bruin. He only played 69 games that year but put up 42 points (.580) and registered 169 hits (2.45). Again, given what he went through he would appear to have earned his paycheck for year 2.

Last October he arrived at camp even lighter having trained hard again all summer. In just the first week of play he suffered his 3rd concussion as a Bruin, just 5 months after his last one. By Thanksgiving he appeared to be getting his groove back but then in early December he took a skate to the face and was clearly “off” again. He spent the rest of the season laboring and struggling to find a way to contribute, even going as far as taking on the “enforcer” roll for his teammates despite his concussion issues. This was by far his worst season of production as a Bruin with only 25 points (.294) in 85 games and 190 hits (2.25), he defiantly did not earn his paycheck like the previous 2 seasons but I’m not so sure it’s because he has completely lost his game.

I have read a lot of posts calling this a horrible contract from the start and “the worst signing” by this front office but to be clear that is just ridiculous. I am not trying to claim he has been great but when you actually take the time to apply some context to his situation it is clear that the injuries and hurdles he has been beset with are not something that was predictable. Seriously someone go find me the post that stated “this is a bad deal because he is going to have 10 inches of his colon removed and suffer 3 concussions”, I certainly don’t remember reading it.

The general consensus of the nay sayers when this deal was signed was that it was too long (by a year or two), not that he would suffer freak injuries and illnesses. Sure, there were a few of you that just didn’t like it all together, but the results don’t support your belief, just because he has struggled doesn’t mean you were right.

Moving forward it would appear the front office is willing to give him a shot at redeeming himself and I’m OK with that. He has been training hard and working on his skating this off season and his pride has always been his motivator.

I don’t think he is done and I truly believe he will redeem himself, with that being said, I also believe the front office will move him if he does indeed improve his trade value.

Flame away HF...flame away....

Actually, I think you're wrong.

A bunch of criticisms about that contract had to do with Backes' recent decline and how his style of play was leading to injuries in those players' later years. A five year contract was seen as foolish for a guy who was likely going to face injuries.

Same reason the Lucic trade had its supporters. Same rationale that was used during that trade was subsequently made hypocritical by Backes' signing. Don't claim that this wasn't or couldn't be predicted (using the colon specificity is insultingly disingenuous)... It was, if not by most, than certainly many.

Add to this that he never felt "comfortable" at center (or whatever the reasoning there is, I honestly don't remember) so he couldn't fill a hole we desperately needed filled, healthy or otherwise. Couldn't play his natural position and couldn't effectively be shoehorned into a top-six winger role, regardless of all of the effort put into doing so and the number of opportunities he had to succeed there and on the powerplay.

I just don't see any benefit to "give Backes a chance" at this stage. If not only for his crushing $6M cap hit, then at least for the spot on the roster he would occupy over someone who would provide more than he can.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Actually, I think you're wrong.

A bunch of criticisms about that contract had to do with Backes' recent decline and how his style of play was leading to injuries in those players' later years. A five year contract was seen as foolish for a guy who was likely going to face injuries.

Same reason the Lucic trade had its supporters. Same rationale that was used during that trade was subsequently made hypocritical by Backes' signing. Don't claim that this wasn't or couldn't be predicted (using the colon specificity is insultingly disingenuous)... It was, if not by most, than certainly many.

Add to this that he never felt "comfortable" at center (or whatever the reasoning there is, I honestly don't remember) so he couldn't fill a hole we desperately needed filled, healthy or otherwise. Couldn't play his natural position and couldn't effectively be shoehorned into a top-six winger role, regardless of all of the effort put into doing so and the number of opportunities he had to succeed there and on the powerplay.

I just don't see any benefit to "give Backes a chance" at this stage. If not only for his crushing $6M cap hit, then at least for the spot on the roster he would occupy over someone who would provide more than he can.

Yeah you'd be guaranteed to expose someone to waivers by keeping him. Its already gonna be a tight squeeze. A guy like Kuhlman who scored a big finals goal could get sent down if hes equal to someone in camp that isn't waiver exempt and doesn't significantly outplay them.

If he elects to go to Providence he better light it up and lead the league in scoring to expect a recall which I can't see happening. I'm sure he'd be fine as a 13th forward but the dude is cooked and can't handle 82 games + playoffs.

 

[Sheppy]

If I'm making $6M a year, I'd be content shovelling shit.

 

[smack66]

@NiftyWasNasty
I'm not trying to argue your point but I take exception to this statement.
"When July 1st finally rolled around, the Backes family had their pick of deals and they decided on Boston for their next chapter"
this makes it sound as though with all things being equal Backes chose boston when in fact he left the only NHL team he ever played for to get more money from another team. dont get me wrong I dont blame him for this but let's not pretend he came to Boston for any other reasons then money. I'm not bashing Backes but i really dont get how anyone can say he's been a worthwhile signing. it was a bad deal for the Boston Bruins and remains a bad deal. this doesn't make Backes a bad person but he sure hasn't lived up to his contract

 

[Over the volcano]

You are right about Kuhlman, he even out produced him in the playoffs with a impressive .45 pts per game pace as a rookie. I get being a fanboy but this place sometimes. Heck Backes suffered the same fate as Eriksson with injuries. Except Eriksson took a lot more heat in here by comparison, yet was tied for Second in pts his last year here at .77 pts per game.
.

Khulman was on the 2nd line, in his playoff time, no? Would make sense that he'd produce at a better rate 5 on 5 - besides the sample size is so small. Eriksson got a rough ride for sure and there are totally comparisons between the two with their repeated injuries and disappointments. Eriksson was real solid that last year, but it's hard to get excited about his production when the team embarrassingly wilted late in the season to miss the playoffs for the second straight year. Since Backes came aboard that hasn't happened so maybe he gets a bit of a break.

 

[LSCII]

Khulman was on the 2nd line, in his playoff time, no? Would make sense that he'd produce at a better rate 5 on 5 - besides the sample size is so small. Eriksson got a rough ride for sure and there are totally comparisons between the two with their repeated injuries and disappointments. Eriksson was real solid that last year, but it's hard to get excited about his production when the team embarrassingly wilted late in the season to miss the playoffs for the second straight year. Since Backes came aboard that hasn't happened so maybe he gets a bit of a break.

The real difference between Loui and Backes is that Eriksson was stuck on the third line by Claude and he wouldn't put him with Krejci for some reason. Once he put them together, Loui suddenly became the point producer he'd been in Dallas, and it had zero to do with the concussions.

Unfortunately for us B's fans, Backes was brought in to be that big power forward to play with DK a la Lucic, Horton, and Iggy, but he simply didn't click with Krejci and his overall play resulted in him continually sliding lower and lower in the line up. I don't think there will be a miracle turn around for Backes as his chances to play in the top 6 should all be long gone at this point.

 

[DKH]

 

[Blowfish]

Not sure what to say.

 

[Over the volcano]

If it’s true he has to be the front runner in the “who will have the biggest leap in production this year” thread. Would love for him to have a bounce back season like Eriksson’s last in Boston.

Just


Stay


Healthy

 

[smithformeragent]

Not sure what to say.

Grin and bear it, I suppose.

Hope that the lesson has been learned.

When it comes to mid range free agents who command middle to high contracts at substantial term STAY AWAY. STAY FAR AWAY.

 

[smithformeragent]

Not sure what to say.

Grin and bear it, I suppose.

Hope that the lesson has been learned.

When it comes to mid range free agents who command middle to high contracts at substantial term STAY AWAY. STAY FAR AWAY.

 

[LouJersey]

I have always been a fan of the way David Backes plays the game and handles himself outside of the rink, so I was pretty excited when the Bruins signed him. I’m sure I will be labeled a fan boy but none the less here are my thoughts.

His tenure here has been one curve ball after another…

In 2015/16 he played a total of 99 games with 28+31=59 (.596) and a healthy 332 hits (3.35). When his Blues were eliminated from the Western Conference finals his future was less then certain. For the first six weeks the only thing the Backes family knew was that they would have to wait for July 1st to know their fate. It is a tough way to live, knowing the best offer was likely going to be somewhere new but waiting to decide where you’re going or if you’re going at all. There was open dialog with St Louis and reportedly an offer on the table, but they likely knew he would be leaving.

When July 1st finally rolled around, the Backes family had their pick of deals and they decided on Boston for their next chapter. That meant they were on the move and it would have to be quick because he was off to the World Cup in short order. It was about six weeks to pack up 10 years of life and move your family halfway across the country. Everything from buying and selling a house to figuring out were the best stores are would distract from his normal off-season training routine.

The much-hyped World Cup tournament turned out to be just some practices and 4 crappy games but more importantly he was 2 weeks late for the start of his first Bruins training camp. It would appear his missed preseason and unfamiliarity with Julien’s complicated system left him stranded on the wing.

It was just a few weeks into the season when he had his first surgery as a Bruin, a minor procedure to address a Bursa sac issue in his elbow and a few days off to make sure it didn’t get infected. Around Christmas time he was out of the line up again, this time with an “upper body” injury which turned out to be his first concussion as a Bruin. February brought another coaching change for him, his 3rd head coach in less than a year. In mid-March he suffered a knee injury when he went into the boards awkwardly and yet he still led the team in hits with 254 hits (3.18) and put up 42 points (.525) in the 80 games he played. Considering what he went through and the fact that Julien’s system always reduced players offensive production it would appear that he earned his paycheck in that first season.

During his first full off-season in Boston he trained hard and focused on loosing weight and getting quicker, but it would appear that he went to far which likely triggered his bout with diverticulitis. By the start of November he was under the knife for the second time as a Bruin, this time a much more serious procedure having 10” of his colon removed. In mid-March he suffered a deep laceration on his leg from a freak incident, it required two layers of stiches and in early May his second concussion as a Bruin. He only played 69 games that year but put up 42 points (.580) and registered 169 hits (2.45). Again, given what he went through he would appear to have earned his paycheck for year 2.

Last October he arrived at camp even lighter having trained hard again all summer. In just the first week of play he suffered his 3rd concussion as a Bruin, just 5 months after his last one. By Thanksgiving he appeared to be getting his groove back but then in early December he took a skate to the face and was clearly “off” again. He spent the rest of the season laboring and struggling to find a way to contribute, even going as far as taking on the “enforcer” roll for his teammates despite his concussion issues. This was by far his worst season of production as a Bruin with only 25 points (.294) in 85 games and 190 hits (2.25), he defiantly did not earn his paycheck like the previous 2 seasons but I’m not so sure it’s because he has completely lost his game.

I have read a lot of posts calling this a horrible contract from the start and “the worst signing” by this front office but to be clear that is just ridiculous. I am not trying to claim he has been great but when you actually take the time to apply some context to his situation it is clear that the injuries and hurdles he has been beset with are not something that was predictable. Seriously someone go find me the post that stated “this is a bad deal because he is going to have 10 inches of his colon removed and suffer 3 concussions”, I certainly don’t remember reading it.

The general consensus of the nay sayers when this deal was signed was that it was too long (by a year or two), not that he would suffer freak injuries and illnesses. Sure, there were a few of you that just didn’t like it all together, but the results don’t support your belief, just because he has struggled doesn’t mean you were right.

Moving forward it would appear the front office is willing to give him a shot at redeeming himself and I’m OK with that. He has been training hard and working on his skating this off season and his pride has always been his motivator.

I don’t think he is done and I truly believe he will redeem himself, with that being said, I also believe the front office will move him if he does indeed improve his trade value.

Flame away HF...flame away....

Great post.

My main issue with the deal was five years. Blues offered four, you stay at four and let him decide. Also, ther structure of the deal was terrible and completely buyout proof for the the first four seasons

 

[LouJersey]

Honestly I’d rather have Backes playing then sitting on LTIR, not like they were going to run out and spend it somewhere else

 

[Salem13]

As much as I want to move his money I'm going to take the high road and hope the glass isnt just half full, it spills over.

He was screwed all kinds of ways last year and came back from all of it early then continued to work on his skating and conditioning off season.

Lets wait and see.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Honestly I’d rather have Backes playing then sitting on LTIR, not like they were going to run out and spend it somewhere else

Just call it depth and live with it.