Player Discussion David Backes

[ON3M4N]

Vatrano has more PPG game than Backes. Good for Frank, bad for David. Before you yell at me, I know Backes brings other things to the table. But being on pace for barely 40pts this early in his contract is unacceptable. Let's hope he brings it during the stretch. He is a leader but St. Louis did have it's fair share of disappointments, let's hope he's teaching up the kids about that.

Vatrano - .52PPG
Backes - .51PPG

^Really not that much of a difference. Over an 82 game season the difference doesn't even equal an extra point for Vatrano.

Either way, they play two completely different style of hockey. Vatrano is a pure goal scorer who doesn't bring much else to the table. Backes can play in all situations and brings a physicality to the game.

 

[qc]

Vatrano - .52PPG
Backes - .51PPG

^Really not that much of a difference. Over an 82 game season the difference doesn't even equal an extra point for Vatrano.

Either way, they play two completely different style of hockey. Vatrano is a pure goal scorer who doesn't bring much else to the table. Backes can play in all situations and brings a physicality to the game.

Vatrano earns a mere fraction of what Backes makes though. No matter which way you slice it, Backes has been a disappointment. I really don't care if he logs 4 hits a night, he's under-performing and overpaid right now.

 

[ON3M4N]

Vatrano earns a mere fraction of what Backes makes though. No matter which way you slice it, Backes has been a disappointment. I really don't care if he logs 4 hits a night, he's under-performing and overpaid right now.

Its also his first year in the system and he's now under his 2nd coach with this team lol. He's also been bounced around the line-up quite a bit until Cassidy took over. I think B's fans had some misguided expectation of what Backes was going to be when he got here.

 

[Bmessy]

I don't think my expectations were misguided. I was just hoping he would score more than a third liner, like he did his whole career. Let's not forget to give credit to Vatrano who I think is playing pretty well, putting up .52 ppg with 12 minutes a night, and also playing everywhere in the lineup.

Backes has been at either Center of RW like he was in St Louis. He's also been moved around the top 2 lines in Boston, but so hasn't everyone else. Bottom line is he should be scoring more. Just like Bergeron and Krejci should be scoring more too.

Man, if Bergy and Krejci get back to their 60 pt selves and Backes gets back to his 50 pts self, this team could do some damage. I'm not saying Backes is a waste like some people. He brings alot. But if you can't ask your top 6 forwards to score like they should then I dunno what.

 

[Bmessy]

Backes 2015-16 stats:

79 GP, 21 G, 24 A, 45 points.

Were you expecting a large jump in production coming from St. Louis to Boston?

If anything, the lack of production in the defensive zone as a winger to me makes the contract look bad. If we were getting 40 pts. and the strong, two-way, shutdown center they had in St. Louis, his contract is perfectly fine.

But were not getting that right now.

One season doesn't make it a trend. Kind of like how Eriksson had a couple tough years and people were surprised when he got 30 goals here. Eriksson is back to struggling on a new team. So maybe I need to give more understanding to the fact that a new team and new system can effect players point totals for better or worse. I also understand that age has a factor in this and that Backes was never elite offensively, so while his strengths will stay with him with age other things will probably fall off.

I was hoping, and still hope, that Backes could have a couple more 45-55pt seasons. He's only 32, those are still prime years.

 

[BNHL]

Vatrano - .52PPG
Backes - .51PPG

^Really not that much of a difference. Over an 82 game season the difference doesn't even equal an extra point for Vatrano.

Either way, they play two completely different style of hockey. Vatrano is a pure goal scorer who doesn't bring much else to the table. Backes can play in all situations and brings a physicality to the game.

One has not peaked yet and the other is past peak.

 

[Hali33]

Vatrano earns a mere fraction of what Backes makes though. No matter which way you slice it, Backes has been a disappointment. I really don't care if he logs 4 hits a night, he's under-performing and overpaid right now.

Agreed.

 

[BNHL]

One season doesn't make it a trend. Kind of like how Eriksson had a couple tough years and people were surprised when he got 30 goals here. Eriksson is back to struggling on a new team. So maybe I need to give more understanding to the fact that a new team and new system can effect players point totals for better or worse. I also understand that age has a factor in this and that Backes was never elite offensively, so while his strengths will stay with him with age other things will probably fall off.

I was hoping, and still hope, that Backes could have a couple more 45-55pt seasons. He's only 32, those are still prime years.

Actually most players normally decline about 35% from 31-34. This might be just normal decline.

 

[Bmessy]

Actually most players normally decline about 35% from 31-34. This might be just normal decline.

If Scott Hartnell can do it, anyone can!

If we paid 6mil to only expect 2way play and <40 pts that's terrible allocation of assets. Why even bother.

Are Chara and Bergy are such bad leaders that they needed to pay 6 mil with a NMC to get some character in the room?

 

[ON3M4N]

I don't think my expectations were misguided. I was just hoping he would score more than a third liner, like he did his whole career. Let's not forget to give credit to Vatrano who I think is playing pretty well, putting up .52 ppg with 12 minutes a night, and also playing everywhere in the lineup.

Backes has been at either Center of RW like he was in St Louis. He's also been moved around the top 2 lines in Boston, but so hasn't everyone else. Bottom line is he should be scoring more. Just like Bergeron and Krejci should be scoring more too.

Man, if Bergy and Krejci get back to their 60 pt selves and Backes gets back to his 50 pts self, this team could do some damage. I'm not saying Backes is a waste like some people. He brings alot. But if you can't ask your top 6 forwards to score like they should then I dunno what.

Backes is a 25/30 guy and at his best a fringe 30/30 guy. His numbers no doubt are down this year, but as you mentioned so were guys like Bergeron & Krejci. He's not a guy that carries a line, he's a guy that complements a line and that's why I don't thinking moving him off Bergy's line makes sense. They've been searching for someone for a few years now to find a 3rd on that line and now they have.

IF Backes keep playing like he has under Cassidy w/ the Bergy line, he's on pace to do 18G/31A and that's right in the wheel house of what to expect from Backes.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

....

 

[BNHL]

If Scott Hartnell can do it, anyone can!

If we paid 6mil to only expect 2way play and <40 pts that's terrible allocation of assets. Why even bother.

Are Chara and Bergy are such bad leaders that they needed to pay 6 mil with a NMC to get some character in the room?

Hartnell's right on pace,he's heading for 44 points at age 34 which is about 65% of his peak 67. Backes is right on pace also.

 

[PB37]

Loui's not playing with Krejci or Bergeron,he's playing with Sutter and Granlund. We already saw what it took for him to feel comfortable,now we're seeing it with Backes,hopefully. In the end we probably let 13 goals get away.

Go read the Eriksson thread on the Canucks board. They're roasting him more and has less supporters than Backes here. Despite who he isn't or is playing with, his own play has not been good, period.

Backes' PPG has taken a huge hit in the 10 or so games before Cassisdy came ( I think 1 point in 10 games ). That's not good and his play on the ice reflects that. But I would still take what I've seen from Backes this year vs what Eriksson has done with his new team 10/10 times.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Vatrano - .52PPG
Backes - .51PPG

Jesus that's both encouraging, and horribly depressing.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

When you spend on a UFA, you'll always have to pay more than what the player is worth. Especially the top players on the market each year. You can always find good value late in the summer on 1y deal to players that nobody wanted but the top wanted players will always get too much money or term or both.

In the end, Backes is overpaid. But he can play for me any day. with the plehtora of Young forward on ELC that will make the jump on the roster in the next few years, the Bruins had the room to make one add last year. Would have prefered they had spend on a D like Yandle but Backes was my choice at F.

Is he having a tremendous year offensively? No. But just like anybody, he can redeem himself in the Crunch and if they make it, produce when it really count in the playoffs.

I will hold judgement on his first year until the season is over. That is when we'll know if the investment on him paid off for year 1.

Go get them Backes.

 

[Hali33]

I hope we can stay out of these big free agency contracts so we don't have to celebrate our bad contract not being bad as the other bad contract they were also in negotiations for.

Hooray.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

When you spend on a UFA, you'll always have to pay more than what the player is worth. Especially the top players on the market each year. You can always find good value late in the summer on 1y deal to players that nobody wanted but the top wanted players will always get too much money or term or both.

In the end, Backes is overpaid. But he can play for me any day. with the plehtora of Young forward on ELC that will make the jump on the roster in the next few years, the Bruins had the room to make one add last year. Would have prefered they had spend on a D like Yandle but Backes was my choice at F.

Is he having a tremendous year offensively? No. But just like anybody, he can redeem himself in the Crunch and if they make it, produce when it really count in the playoffs.

I will hold judgement on his first year until the season is over. That is when we'll know if the investment on him paid off for year 1.

Go get them Backes.

All things being equal, with the young forwards in the pipe and the vet ones already here, I'm good with spending that money on the back end.

 

[rocketdan9]

Actually most players normally decline about 35% from 31-34. This might be just normal decline.

So why wasnt there a decline in salary to match??

 

[qc]

So why wasnt there a decline in salary to match??

Because Sweeney.

 

[CDJ]

Eh I'm still fine with it. I think the production will uptick a bit. I like having him in the locker room.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Eh I'm still fine with it. I think the production will uptick a bit. I like having him in the locker room.

Sugar was good in the room. 900k.

 

[wintersej]

He is on pace for 40 points. Need him to be around 50 points to be worth the $$$ (even with the intangibles). Really takes just one hot streak to get back on a 50 point pace, though.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

He is on pace for 40 points. Need him to be around 50 points to be worth the $$$ (even with the intangibles). Really takes just one hot streak to get back on a 50 point pace, though.

It's a bit more complicated than that if you feel other young players could get you 40-45.

 

[CDJ]

They could get you 40 but not bring nearly as much to the table as backes does

Only difference between backes and Thornton is that one is good at hockey

 

[wintersej]

It's a bit more complicated than that if you feel other young players could get you 40-45.

Sure, but what of our young players could be getting us 40-45 in the RW spot? In the back half of the contract, sure, but right now there isn't anybody.