Player Discussion David Backes: Waived

[BMC]

So by him saying he put in the work, is he admitting he didn’t put in the work last off season or maybe didn’t work as hard last off season to be in good shape?

He may not have been able to put in the kind of work he needed to- IIRC he had had yet another concussion that season and then that skate cut on his leg that required 20 odd stitches. He was also probably developing the colon issue that eventually required surgery too. Health wise he's had a very tough time the past few years and that takes a huge toll on the body & mind especially as you get older.

 

[Spooner st]

Anyone else think Kuraly - Backes can be a dope duo? Nordstrom/Ritchie/Wagner/Lindholm on the left of them and I think we got a 4th line to look forward to.

Absolutely not.

 

[Spooner st]

So by him saying he put in the work, is he admitting he didn’t put in the work last off season or maybe didn’t work as hard last off season to be in good shape?

Lip service rules.

 

[Spooner st]

from today's Globe:

Backes on target

A trimmer and more agile David Backes, subject of trade rumors over the summer, appears to be on target for a spot on the opening night roster.
However, at age 35, and still remembering he was not in the lineup for Games 5, 6, and 7 of the Cup Final, he is taking nothing for granted

“Every moment I am trying to prove I’ve earned and deserve that spot,” said Backes. “I guess when I am in the game, God willing, Thursday night, there will be a little of, ‘Yeah, I have earned this so far.’ But part of my reflection is that maybe I was taking it a little bit of that for granted — those healthy scratches kind of kick you where it hurts. It’s a moment to say I have to keep earning my spot every day, and that’s maybe what I had my first couple of years in the league, where I had to earn it every day. Maybe a little bit of complacency, but now I am back to trying to earn it every day and it’s a good head space for me to be in.”

Cassidy, when asked what would be a good year for Backes, said he would like to see him play and produce the way he did when he rode with Heinen and then-center Riley Nash.

“If he can consistently stay in the lineup,” noted Cassidy, preferring not to focus directly on point production for Backes. “I think there will be times he will be rested, if we are going to tinker with the lineup, back-to-back [games[, etc. If he can stay healthy and give us production, what that is, I don’t know . . . ”

Lip service all out. Praise be.

 

[Spooner st]

Backes has never been pretty - got to hand it to him though, he certainly does put the work in and approaches the game in the right way (aka all the way).

What happened with the all the way last year? He himself said the opposite.

 

[Over the volcano]

What happened with the all the way last year? He himself said the opposite.

Seriously?

 

[Spooner st]

Seriously?

No... Seriously!!!

 

[Over the volcano]

Lip service all out. Praise be.

3 concussions in two years and he's willing to do this for his club as the team heads toward the playoffs (something they missed in the two years before he got here). You're a joke

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Lip service all out. Praise be.

I will ask you the simple question again.

What should they be saying?

 

[Spooner st]

I will ask you the simple question again.

What should they be saying?

Who's they? Besides Backes.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Who's they? Besides Backes.

Multiple people are quoted in the article you replied to calling it lip service.

So what should he/they be saying?

 

[Over the volcano]

Multiple people are quoted in the article you replied to calling it lip service.

So what he/they should be saying?

It won't make a difference - he could say a million things or nothing - Spooner here is just playing a game.

 

[Spooner st]

It won't make a difference - he could say a million things or nothing - Spooner here is just playing a game.

Really? Are you in denial or something.

 

[DKH]

So by him saying he put in the work, is he admitting he didn’t put in the work last off season or maybe didn’t work as hard last off season to be in good shape?

What’s pretty cool about life is you occasionally can come across stuff like what he did

Creativity
Open-mindedness
Willing to try different things

That’s how I see what he did

His conventional approach wasn’t giving desired/expected results

He modified his training habits because at 35 he felt he needed to

You sound young- as you get older you will learn what worked at 30 may not fly at 50 and not from
Lack of effort

 

[Therick67]

What’s pretty cool about life is you occasionally can come across stuff like what he did

Creativity
Open-mindedness
Willing to try different things

That’s how I see what he did

His conventional approach wasn’t giving desired/expected results

He modified his training habits because at 35 he felt he needed to

You sound young- as you get older you will learn what worked at 30 may not fly at 50 and not from
Lack of effort

Not to mention, the game has changed since he came into the league...

 

[Alicat]

What’s pretty cool about life is you occasionally can come across stuff like what he did

Creativity
Open-mindedness
Willing to try different things

That’s how I see what he did

His conventional approach wasn’t giving desired/expected results

He modified his training habits because at 35 he felt he needed to

You sound young- as you get older you will learn what worked at 30 may not fly at 50 and not from
Lack of effort

Everything about this post is spot on.

 

[Blowfish]

Backes and Ritchie face the most amount of pressure to perform. The Providence Bruin players are hungry. And many capable players can be called up.

 

[Alicat]

Backes and Ritchie face the most amount of pressure to perform. The Providence Bruin players are hungry. And many capable players can be called up.

Backes has earned his spot on this roster, Ritchie has not.

If Backes falters they will likely try Lindholm first and then call someone up.

 

[Blowfish]

Backes has earned his spot on this roster, Ritchie has not.

If Backes falters they will likely try Lindholm first and then call someone up.

The season is about to start. Earning a spot never ends. Backes and Ritchie will have the most trouble to keep up with the pace. We all know that.

 

[LSCII]

3 concussions in two years and he's willing to do this for his club as the team heads toward the playoffs (something they missed in the two years before he got here). You're a joke

Hold on now with this sanctimonious nonsense. He didn't do that for us. Or for the team. He did that for himself. Because he couldn't accept that he was no longer a viable player. He found a way to bring at least some value to the team by filling a void. This was the only way he was getting back on the ice, FFS because his play had slipped that drastically. So don't lecture the fans on how he laid things out on the line for the club like he was self sacrificing or something. That was for himself because he wasn't ready to move on. End of story.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

Hold on now with this sanctimonious nonsense. He didn't do that for us. Or for the team. He did that for himself. Because he couldn't accept that he was no longer a viable player. He found a way to bring at least some value to the team by filling a void. This was the only way he was getting back on the ice, FFS because his play had slipped that drastically. So don't lecture the fans on how he laid things out on the line for the club like he was self sacrificing or something. That was for himself because he wasn't ready to move on. End of story.

Or, your completely wrong. Your entire premise is based off the idea that Backes did not change his game to fit what the team needed and instead was doing it selfishly. Which you have 0 basis to build upon because you do not know that. The fact that you ASSUME that simply continues to reveal your bias. End of story.

 

[LSCII]

Or, your completely wrong. Your entire premise is based off the idea that Backes did not change his game to fit what the team needed and instead was doing it selfishly. Which you have 0 basis to build upon because you do not know that. The fact that you ASSUME that simply continues to reveal your bias. End of story.

Let's just go by the facts, okay? Last year, his play was sub par. To the point where the coach benched him.

Are we agreed on that?

I assume yes, given it was very clear in what Cassidy said at that time. So he starts getting sat. Then he gets in a game and starts throwing hands, bringing some usefulness to the team for the first time that season. He stays dressing for a time. Then the playoffs start and his lack of foot speed is again exposed, along with very few fights, so he gets sat. He ends up playing in 15 out of 24 playoff games and is watching in game 6 and game 7 of the finals, both of which were must win and the most important games of the year. And he was sat. In favor of a guy from the AHL with all of 11 NHL games under his belt.

So with all that being considered, you really want to put this on me and what you claim is my agenda? Sheesh. Talk about way off.

 

[BUP]

Lip service all out. Praise be.

Perhaps by lip service you are alluding to the David Backes "brand" and the annual preseason media blitz promoting him?? I think he is a cagey guy who has been making careful and selective comments like other savvy athletes do when they are in a precarious spot with respect to playing time or making a team.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

Let's just go by the facts, okay? Last year, his play was sub par. To the point where the coach benched him.

Are we agreed on that?

I assume yes, given it was very clear in what Cassidy said at that time. So he starts getting sat. Then he gets in a game and starts throwing hands, bringing some usefulness to the team for the first time that season. He stays dressing for a time. Then the playoffs start and his lack of foot speed is again exposed, along with very few fights, so he gets sat. He ends up playing in 15 out of 24 playoff games and is watching in game 6 and game 7 of the finals, both of which were must win and the most important games of the year. And he was sat. In favor of a guy from the AHL with all of 11 NHL games under his belt.

So with all that being considered, you really want to put this on me and what you claim is my agenda? Sheesh. Talk about way off.

Stand by what I said. Your entire argument here is based off his motive, not his action. You have no clue as to what his motives are so building an argument on that is like constructing a house on beach sand. Your better than that.

If you are a player playing injured in the playoffs and have a broken finger you start passing more because your shot is terrible now. Thats adjusting your game to the situation and need of the team.

Backes did not go around picking fights with the biggest guys out there to save his job. He played physical along the boards and went after guys taking runs at his teammates. Assuming that his motive was a selfish one in that is not a good look for you.

 

[LSCII]

Stand by what I said. Your entire argument here is based off his motive, not his action. You have no clue as to what his motives are so building an argument on that is like constructing a house on beach sand. Your better than that.

If you are a player playing injured in the playoffs and have a broken finger you start passing more because your shot is terrible now. Thats adjusting your game to the situation and need of the team.

Backes did not go around picking fights with the biggest guys out there to save his job. He played physical along the boards and went after guys taking runs at his teammates. Assuming that his motive was a selfish one in that is not a good look for you.

Again, no agenda here. Just want the best roster possible. If Backes rebounds and goes back to what he was before, I'll be more than happy to say so. As for last year, all I said was that him taking on a physical role and being more of an enforcer was so he could get back on the ice since he'd been benched over a lack of production.

I don't think that's wrong or misrepresented in any way. He did what he had to stay in the line up. I don't begrudge him for that either. In fact I give him credit. What I don't give him credit for is what @Over the volcano wanted to, in that he didn't do it as a selfless act. He did it as a player that wanted to continue playing. So he found a way.