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David Backes Signs Five-Year Deal with Boston Bruins

By Patrick Karraker

May 23, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones (31) looks around the screen of St. Louis Blues center David Backes (42) during the first period in game five of the Western Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scottrade Center. The Sharks won the game 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones (31) looks around the screen of St. Louis Blues center David Backes (42) during the first period in game five of the Western Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scottrade Center. The Sharks won the game 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /
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The St. Louis Blues will need to find a new captain for the 2016-17 season.

The destruction of the St. Louis Blues team that advanced to the 2015-16 Western Conference Finals continues. After trading goalie Brian Elliott to the Calgary Flames for a second-round pick at last week’s NHL Draft, the St. Louis Blues lost their captain of the past five seasons on Friday, as David Backes signed with the Boston Bruins for five years and $30 million.

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Along with the departures of Elliott and winger Troy Brouwer, who signed with the Flames on Friday, the Blues have now lost arguably the three biggest contributors to their deep playoff run this past season. With that said, it might be in the Blues’ best long-term interest to let the 6-foot-3, 220-pound forward walk. Backes, who was once among the Blues’ biggest scoring threats, collecting a career-high 31 goals in 2010-11, has become more of a defensive specialist and secondary offensive contributor in recent years. Obviously his big, physical presence in front of the net will be sorely missed, but just in terms of numbers, his production should be matched by old friend/new addition David Perron, who was signed Friday morning.

Backes’s loss will be most felt against opponents’ talented top lines, and the Blues will have to hope that one of their forwards steps up and shows the ability to defend elite offensive players. He’ll also be missed on the penalty kill, where he had teamed with Alexander Steen for a long time to shut down even the best of opposing power plays.

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Obviously the Blues will also have to find a new captain and a source of energy in the dressing room. With longtime alternate captain Alexander Steen a free agent after 2016-17, some candidates to take over Backes’s role might include Alex Pietrangelo, Jaden Schwartz, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Colton Parayko.

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