Player Discussion David Backes

[DoubleAAAA]

What bothers me is that he played so well in training camp and the first week of the season. Now he is a difference maker in about 1/10 games. The idea that this guy has the same cap hit as Marchand over the next 4 years is a joke. Sweeney should request that he allow himself to be exposed in the expansion draft.

Makes you wonder if the elbow is still bothering him after surgery. Appears to have impacted Pasta as well to a degree.

 

[EverettMike]

Makes you wonder if the elbow is still bothering him after surgery. Appears to have impacted Pasta as well to a degree.

Arguably played his best game last week against Pittsburgh.

 

[rocketdan9]

This is on CJ

Krejci Backes doesnt work...and he still sticks with this line

 

[BNHL]

Hard working player like Beleskey,only slower,with less production than should be acceptable,on pace for 35 points-UGH

 

[smack66]

He does not get criticized near enough for his play. tired of hearing about his intangibles. Grossly overpaid for what he brings to the team.

B's favourite whipping boys

Krejci 13 goals 21 assists

Spooner 7 goals 18 assists

Backes 11 goals and 11 assists. But he brings intangibles.

 

[JRull86]

He does not get criticized near enough for his play. tired of hearing about his intangibles. Grossly overpaid for what he brings to the team.

B's favourite whipping boys

Krejci 13 goals 21 assists

Spooner 7 goals 18 assists

Backes 11 goals and 11 assists. But he brings intangibles.

Backes hasn't been a 6 million dollar player, but there is no questioning that he brings it every night even if the results aren't where they should be. Spooner on the other hand deserves the criticism he gets until he can stop making stupid boneheaded plays on a nightly basis.

 

[bp13]

Man I hated this signing the second it happened, but I didn't expect people to be griping in year 1. The danger of this deal was supposed to be the last few years, paying a guy $6M per who would have a ton of wear on the tires and was never a speed burner to begin with.

I can appreciate he brings it every night and obviously intangibles are hard to measure, but it's tough to argue with some of the criticism. He is not a difference maker by himself, he does not push the pace, he isn't this year able to make a huge difference with his physical play, his production has been sub-par, and with the team inconsistent all year it's hard to give him too much credit for leadership, intangibles, etc.

Really disappointing to think this deal is not paying dividends early on, because I don't see anyone liking it down the road.

 

[LSCII]

Man I hated this signing the second it happened, but I didn't expect people to be griping in year 1. The danger of this deal was supposed to be the last few years, paying a guy $6M per who would have a ton of wear on the tires and was never a speed burner to begin with.

I can appreciate he brings it every night and obviously intangibles are hard to measure, but it's tough to argue with some of the criticism. He is not a difference maker by himself, he does not push the pace, he isn't this year able to make a huge difference with his physical play, his production has been sub-par, and with the team inconsistent all year it's hard to give him too much credit for leadership, intangibles, etc.

Really disappointing to think this deal is not paying dividends early on, because I don't see anyone liking it down the road.

This is exactly right. The longer into this contract it goes, the worse it's going to be. If you're not maximizing his role in the first 2 years of this deal, you're not going to benefit much from it at all.

 

[smack66]

Backes hasn't been a 6 million dollar player, but there is no questioning that he brings it every night even if the results aren't where they should be. Spooner on the other hand deserves the criticism he gets until he can stop making stupid boneheaded plays on a nightly basis.

not defending Spooner but 8 years younger and makes about 15% of Backes salary. I'm not saying Spooner shouldn't be criticized by any means I just find it ironic how much flack he gets compared to Backes when I think Backes will truly be a problem moving forward.

 

[chizzler]

This is exactly right. The longer into this contract it goes, the worse it's going to be. If you're not maximizing his role in the first 2 years of this deal, you're not going to benefit much from it at all.

Who the hell is in charge of pro scouting?? Secondly, any contract over 5 years is doomed to fail. Players get complacent. Backes seems lost in the system to me. Doesn't seem comfortable.

 

[EverettMike]

It comes across like some of us don't value leadership, but I think most of us do, it's just some of us don't think you should overpay for it. All of the tangibles need to be worth the contract on their own.

 

[b in vancouver]

I'm interested to see what he brings down the stretch and in the playoffs.
He has to start producing more but I also think he can. Not to the same degree but reminds me of Bergeron earlier in the year. Playing well, in the thick of things, but just not getting any points.

They're going to need him and Beleskey to both not only play like they're capable of but also to start putting up some points as you can't expect The 200 (I'm seeing if it catches on) to carry the team every game up front.

 

[bbfan419]

Backes is very similar to Lucic, both are physical slow skating wingers, they bring it maybe 10-20% of the time, both are also over paid, I would look into trying to expose him the expansion draft or better yet try and deal him to a team looking for help at forward and view Backes as a playoff type of guy to help them on a run.

 

[BruinDust]

Who the hell is in charge of pro scouting?? Secondly, any contract over 5 years is doomed to fail. Players get complacent. Backes seems lost in the system to me. Doesn't seem comfortable.

Boston's pro scouting is terrible, but any scout who saw him play in last year's playoffs likely walks away impressed, he was arguably their best player from start to finish.

 

[Hali33]

It comes across like some of us don't value leadership, but I think most of us do, it's just some of us don't think you should overpay for it. All of the tangibles need to be worth the contract on their own.

Bingo.

 

[Dr Hook]

The 200 (I'm seeing if it catches on) to carry the team every game up front.

I think they should put him with Krejci and Pasta so we can have the David line, just a thought . . .

 

[smack66]

I'm interested to see what he brings down the stretch and in the playoffs.
He has to start producing more but I also think he can. Not to the same degree but reminds me of Bergeron earlier in the year. Playing well, in the thick of things, but just not getting any points.

They're going to need him and Beleskey to both not only play like they're capable of but also to start putting up some points as you can't expect The 200 (I'm seeing if it catches on) to carry the team every game up front.

Read this in my best Jim Mora voice

 

[Broonzfanz]

Reading some of the articles in St Louis and they mention missing Backes quite a bit and the value he had in the dressing room. His production has not been very good but I think he brings much more to the table.

 

[smithformeragent]

It comes across like some of us don't value leadership, but I think most of us do, it's just some of us don't think you should overpay for it. All of the tangibles need to be worth the contract on their own.

I agree.

I think this contract sucks.

Does it kill them this year? No.
Future years, the value only worsens.

 

[inthe6ix]

Maybe trade him for Ladd?

They both are underpeforming and are overpaid for what they bring to the table.

 

[LSCII]

Who the hell is in charge of pro scouting?? Secondly, any contract over 5 years is doomed to fail. Players get complacent. Backes seems lost in the system to me. Doesn't seem comfortable.

Their pro scouting has been horrendous going back to when Chia was here. I mean, I can barely recall them winning an actual trade recently that involved NHL roster players.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

I'm interested to see what he brings down the stretch and in the playoffs.
He has to start producing more but I also think he can. Not to the same degree but reminds me of Bergeron earlier in the year. Playing well, in the thick of things, but just not getting any points.

They're going to need him and Beleskey to both not only play like they're capable of but also to start putting up some points as you can't expect The 200 (I'm seeing if it catches on) to carry the team every game up front.

Not holding my breath on that. Both looked cooked to me. Oh, and not holding my breath about the playoffs, either.

Backes is very similar to Lucic, both are physical slow skating wingers, they bring it maybe 10-20% of the time, both are also over paid, I would look into trying to expose him the expansion draft or better yet try and deal him to a team looking for help at forward and view Backes as a playoff type of guy to help them on a run.

Even when he wasn't trying his hardest, though, Lucic was always a threat to go off and pound someone, particularly in defense of a teammate, and he was a more dependable scorer. Backes isn't really any of those things. In his mind, he may want to be those things, or even think he is those things, but he's not at this stage of his career.

Agree, our pro scouting sucks out loud. Year after year getting sandbagged by washed up vets who have been granted absurd contracts with movement clauses.

That's why firing Julien will do nothing.

 

[Jorah Marshmont]

He's basically been what they hoped Beleskey would be. A physical winger that could chip in around 18 goals and 35 points. Obviously, that isn't nearly good enough.

 

[qc]

Yet he's on pace for the same production as he had last year before signing the contract. So is it really that horrible. Did you expect his production to suddenly increase substantially?

Fact is, to get the most value out of Backes (and I'm not just talking about goals and assists), he needs to see more time at Center where his defensive skills make a bigger impact. Sadly he's not comfortable there in this system right now.

Yes, it is really that horrible. I didn't like the contract at the time. And no, I didn't expect his production to suddenly increase, because I didn't like the deal in the first place.

Sadly, a lot of people like the guy simply because he has "grit" and went on a Canadian punchfest a few years back.

 

[Blowfish]

I would have preferred soderberg. As big and younger better playmaker.