Thoughts on Backes this season

[Blues88]

How do you think he's playing? The good, the bad, and most importantly, they WHY.

To get it started (and paraphrase), I think he's a less physical, less in shape version of himself last year. He'll always be solid defensively and he's a notoriously slow starter but everything is magnified in a shorten year. I love his game when he's on but I'd like to see him bring more physicality to every game and for the 20 millionth time, I wish he'd shoot the puck more.

I'll admit he's underwhelming me but he was a GOD for about 35 games last year. He just looked unstoppable, so I guess given the context of this season, my expectations were foolishly higher than they should have been.

Interested in your thoughts!

Click to read more...

 

[illninofan*]

I'd be interested to see how he plays if we moved him to wing.

 

[ItsOnlytheRiver]

He's been bad, but he always starts off slow. I thought he was especially awful tonight until that goal he helped create.

 

[Mike Liut]

I think it's tough for grinding, physical players to play that style night in and night out. It takes a toll on you

 

[DatDude44]

he doesn't have the skill level to be a true #1 center but is a hell of a player none the less. He's rare breed of player. I personally think he's better on the wing just like steen. But i don't think we have much choice with our center depth and the chemistry him and oshie have sort of make up for the gap between his effectiveness at center compared to RW.

Either way you put it. If we got a true #1 center we would be a very very very very very scary team. As well as getting another top LHD would be great tho I'm happy with coles play and atleast from tonight it looks like russells starting to pick his game up

 

[bleedblue1223]

Backes has always been better up the middle and his defensive play would be wasted on the wing. I've never understood all the wing talk with him.

 

[542365]

Looked like he had a baseball bat for a stick tonight. Every time he got the puck, it blasted off his stick. Needs a better tape job on his twig.

 

[Mike Liut]

Looked like he had a baseball bat for a stick tonight. Every time he got the puck, it blasted off his stick. Needs a better tape job on his twig.

I thought he was playing without a blade on his stick

 

[Robb_K]

How do you think he's playing? The good, the bad, and most importantly, they WHY.

To get it started (and paraphrase), I think he's a less physical, less in shape version of himself last year. He'll always be solid defensively and he's a notoriously slow starter but everything is magnified in a shorten year. I love his game when he's on but I'd like to see him bring more physicality to every game and for the 20 millionth time, I wish he'd shoot the puck more.

I'll admit he's underwhelming me but he was a GOD for about 35 games last year. He just looked unstoppable, so I guess given the context of this season, my expectations were foolishly higher than they should have been.

Interested in your thoughts!

I think that in addition to his having been out of shape from not having a training camp and pre-season games, he's also been playing "timidly" (at least-relative to his normal game); and that he's been playing that way because he's been playing hurt. He's been sitting back, avoiding making crushing hits he'd normally make, and not putting his full weight into hits he is making. He's always slower in his first 30-35 games of any season. But, he seems to have almost NO jump in his skates.

I hope he gets back to complete 100% play soon. It's tough when your team's #1 centre is playing at 85%.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I don't think he's played his best, but defensively he is still playing very sound hockey.

The offensive side will come. He always starts slow.

 

[Mike Liut]

I don't think he's played his best, but defensively he is still playing very sound hockey.

The offensive side will come. He always starts slow.

Yeah, as long as he's physical and shuts down top lines, he's fine by me.

 

[brendan]

Definitely not playing his best but he isn't playing terribly

 

[PocketNines]

He made a sweet play for the GWG tonight and now has .667 ppg which is higher than last year. So offensively if this is a slow start then he might bounce up to his career high ppg rate.

Just pointing it out. I do agree he hasn't seemed as dangerous or involved offensively from a qualitative standpoint but the numbers aren't bad at all.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

He made a sweet play for the GWG tonight and now has .667 ppg which is higher than last year. So offensively if this is a slow start then he might bounce up to his career high ppg rate.

Just pointing it out. I do agree he hasn't seemed as dangerous or involved offensively from a qualitative standpoint but the numbers aren't bad at all.

They really aren't. I think part of why some people are down on Backes is because other guys are stepping up.

Chris Stewart looks great and Patrick Berglund is starting to turn into the player we've always hoped he would be.

That said, Backes is scoring at basically the same rate as the two guys I listed (Stewart has one more point, Berglund one less) and Backes plays much better defense.

 

[PocketNines]

Honestly the biggest reason people are discussing it is that he has two goals and one of them was an empty netter. So, one real goal in 18 games sounds bad for a guy who scored 31 in 82 just two seasons ago.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

That doesn't look good but part of the reason he hasn't scored is because he is dishing it to other guys. I believe he is second or third on the team with assists with 10.

 

[Blues88]

I'm not overly concerned with his numbers offensively, though I wish he'd shoot the puck more.

For whatever reason, as has been stated, he doesn't have as much "jump" in his game, to put it simply. A big part of this team's success last year was Backes and his ability to be a catalyst for physicality. He was running over everyone and being an absolute pain along the boards and in the neutral zone. My one real criticism of this team is the decline in overall physicality throughout the course of the game. Throughout the first few games of this season, we were grinding teams down and putting the body on everyone. I think for this squad, grinding makes all the difference. They've turned the corner offensively. Now its about recapturing that incredible play off the puck.

I think his ability to lead by example bolstered the play of a guy like Oshie last season. They were in sync for about 25 games last season and it was incredible to watch them work. This isn't too brave of an assessment, but we are such a hard team to win against when the D is on and Backes is running around. I'd like to see him find a consistently high level and become that player. I know he has it in him.

That said, he's a guy that would have especially benefited from a longer training camp.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

Backes always starts slow, and since there really wasn't a training camp due to the lockout sure didn't help. The key to Backes game on Offense is he is usually so good at creating space. Backes is picking up assists so it's not like he isn't contributung. It will happen, Patience. Once that happens, The Blues will be a very dangerous opponent.

 

[ItsOnlytheRiver]

Honestly the biggest reason people are discussing it is that he has two goals and one of them was an empty netter. So, one real goal in 18 games sounds bad for a guy who scored 31 in 82 just two seasons ago.

That doesn't just sound bad, it is bad. You keep throwing out his PPG numbers as if that justifies something. How many assists are secondary? How many on the PP? His line has been ineffective for large stretches this year and he's been the main perpetrator.

 

[PocketNines]

That doesn't just sound bad, it is bad. You keep throwing out his PPG numbers as if that justifies something. How many assists are secondary? How many on the PP? His line has been ineffective for large stretches this year and he's been the main perpetrator.

The bolded. Is this really true? Or would minor re-reading effort help clarify things?

 

[ItsOnlytheRiver]

The bolded. Is this really true? Or would minor re-reading effort help clarify things?

No. I think the numbers are still pretty bad.

 

[Honeycutt]

The play on perrons goal was the 1st line David backes we need to see night in and night out. Unfortunately third line David backes has been the one showing up to games this year. While his defense is good he needs to do more in the offensive zone to help keep the play in the oppositions end. Too many times he gets the puck and turns it over. Lets hope the third period last night was the real David backes waking up.

 

[Rizzo90]

I've been to all but 2 home games this year, missed the home opener while in New Orleans ( damn I am pissed I missed that one) But, after tonights game, I'd had about all I can stand from Backes' play this year. He had better thank his lucky charms that my name isn't Doug Armstrong, based on his play this year I'm just about ready to trade his ass for a dozen doughnuts!!

I hear "Oh he is just playing that way "because-because-because"....too many bad call on him....BALONEY!! St Louis ALREADY knows the refs aren't exactly "in their corner" & the blues are gonna get the ****** call ....So play HARDER make the hit frickin count if you think you're gonna get a call!! Don't back off the opponent!!!!!

People have been talking about a lack of "team toughness" well the team goes as the captain goes....if he is gonna glide into both the offensive AND defensive zones, only occasionally gettin into the corners when a puck just happens to spring loose. BULLCRAP!! I AM TIRED OF IT!!!

I have always loved Backes' game....hell I called his captaincy in his rookie year!!
But if you all are thinkin the TEAM lacks toughness,,,,it all starts with the guy wearing the "C" I'm so sick of it I could puke!!

That assist on Frenchy's goal was the FIRST time I actually saw him appear to skate hard during last night's game.

On my way home I even mentioned to my wife as I listened to Hitch on the radio after the game..." I wish I could be in there JUST to ask him how long he is gonna allow Backes to glide his way through each & every game"

I have had this bothering me for some time, I guess sittin up high in the lux box just gave me a better picture of the "big picture"....

WoW do I feel better gettin that off my chest!!

 

[Boromir Jagr*]

Well, I don't see anybody topping that...

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Interesting thoughts. Can't say I even remotely agree. But that is the beauty of opinions.