Boston Bruins: David Backes’ Leadership Badly Needed

Boston Bruins Need Leadership And Acumen David Backes Brings To Stave-Off Another Late-Season Meltdown

As the Boston Bruins entered Free Agency, two questions were on everyone’s mind: How will the front office fix the defense, and will Boston pony-up to retain the services of Top 6 winger Loui Eriksson? Ultimately, the organization decided against shelling out the six-year, $36 million contract he’d receive in Vancouver, and no one really batted an eye.

Eriksson, after all, on the wrong side of 30, with a history of concussions, and coming off his best season since 2011-2012. He was easily one of the best players on last year’s roster, but watching players price themselves out of town is something sports fans are all too familiar with in the 21st Century. But when the Bruins surprised many (most) by dishing out a five year, $30 million contract for 32-year-old David Backes, the peanut gallery erupted.

Assertions were made that the organization was directionless, or again falling into the trap of valuing grit over talent. Defenders of “Bruins Hockey,” championed the move, proclaiming the team’s recent struggles were due to a lack of toughness, or physicality on the roster. David Backes is many things: He’s a six-time 20 goal scorer, a Selke Trophy Finalist, a two-time Olympian, and a big, hard-nosed dude. But above all else, David Backes is one thing: A leader. And right now, that’s something the Bruins need desperately.

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In each of the past two seasons, the Boston Bruins have fielded a diluted version of their former selves, twice falling short of the playoffs on the last day of the season. Suffering from a combination of bad contracts, paltry compensation in return for “core” pieces, and the inherent and escalating prices that come along with being successful as an organization, these recent Bruins have been the definition of average.

The 2015 version of the club often looked disinterested, disconnected, soft…. as if they were out on the pond with the neighbors and a couple Molson’s. Over their last 15 games, they posted a 6-5-4 record, picking up just one point over their last three games. The 2016 edition featured a back-end ravaged by poor asset management as well as Father Time, and not even the league’s fifth-ranked offense could make up for the frequent gaffes, blown coverage, failed clearing attempts, and non-existent break-out. Over the course of their last 15 games, these Bruins posted an even worse 4-8-3 record, capped off by a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Ottawa Senators, at the TD Garden no less.

Despite looking like shadows of their former Cup-competing selves, the Bruins spent the vast majority of both seasons firmly entrenched in playoff position, only to play their worst hockey of the year at the worst time of the year, leading to their ousting after Game 82. And while the talent on hand has admittedly taken a step backward, prior editions of the Bruins could always count on a Mark Recchi, Shawn Thornton, Andrew Ference, or Jarome Iginla to grab a hold of the team’s attention at crunch time to help right the ship. Whether by keeping things loose, firing the team up with physical play, or saying the right thing at the right time, these vets always seemed to have the pulse of the room.

Though Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara certainly command and earn respect from their teammates, both are very soft-spoken, and more of the “lead by example” type. It’s imperative to have guys who do things the right way, all the time, to ensure the young guys learn the culture of the team. But sometimes you also need the guys who aren’t afraid to speak up, and speak their minds, and the notoriously eloquent and effusive Backes is that kind of guy.

Having captained the St. Louis Blues for the past five seasons, David Backes is no stranger to commanding attention in a locker room. Leading his team to a playoff appearance in each of those five seasons, Backes’ tearful interview following last year’s Conference Finals loss illustrated what a team-first player he is. Regaling the media scrum with a tale of Steve Ott bringing him something to feel better prior to a game, knowing a healthy Backes means Ott watches the game from the press box, Backes is barely able to finish the story before the lump in his throat becomes too large to circumvent. It might seem harsh or unfair of me to say, but I didn’t see anything remotely resembling that kind of passion and camaraderie emanating from any of the Bruins lately.

The day of his signing, Torey Krug had this to say to 98.5 The Sports Hub: “He’s a proven leader. For him to come into our locker room to help our younger guys….I mean, the guy hates to lose. That’s something that maybe we’ve been missing the last couple years.”

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An NHL team in 2016 features players from all over the globe, and ranges in age from teenagers to men in their early forties. There are varied personalities and priorities in every corner of the locker room, and it’s imperative to have a player (or players) who can not only get everyone on the same page, but to also make everyone feel equal and included. There might be some 18 year old rookie who’s intimidated by being surrounded by men closer in age to their father than themselves. There might be a 15 year veteran spending most nights watching from the press box. A hint of resentment or selfishness from one player can snowball into a rift that costs jobs, and sink a season.

As we heard immediately following Dougie Hamilton’s acrimonious departure, unity within the locker room may have not recently existed among the Bruins. The rumbling was that cliques had formed and that Hamilton (as well as one or two other young players) had more or less felt excluded by some of the vets. Now, this could very well be a case of a young player being too sensitive, or it could be 100% correct; the truth most likely lies somewhere in the middle, and frankly that’s not good enough for an organization that has designs to get back to the top of the NHL mountain ASAP. Having corralled big and colorful personalities such as Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan Reaves, Steve Ott, and others into a cohesive unit that came within two wins of a Stanley Cup Final, Backes emphatically checks off that box.

Having corralled big and colorful personalities such as Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan Reaves, Steve Ott, and others into a cohesive unit that came within two wins of a Stanley Cup Final, Backes emphatically checks off that box.

Beyond his leadership qualities, Backes is just a great player. He brings a scorer’s touch, fantastic two-way play, the versatility to play both center and wing, and the kind of grit and tenacity you’d hope to see in a 6’3″, 225 pound player. Since his signing, Backes’ talent and effectiveness have been largely overshadowed by the long term ramifications of his contract. While many question how effective Backes will be toward the end of his contract at a $6 million price tag, it’s important to note that he has missed just 16 games over the past eight seasons….shockingly durable numbers for a player as physical as Backes.

For those of you ready to tune out at this point, believing I’m overvaluing toughness and intangibles, Backes has scored at a nearly identical rate as Eriksson over the past two seasons, with Loui averaging just two more points per 82 games than Backes. For those who claim that possession and advanced metrics are a better way to judge a player’s worth than points and hits, Backes posted higher Corsi and Fenwick numbers per 60 minutes than Eriksson in each of the past two seasons. The man is more than just a Knute Rockne clone; he’s a damn good hockey player.

Next: David Backes Deserves A Letter

With the Jimmy Vesey decision coming any day now, the Bruins (along with the rest of the hockey world) are holding their breath. His inclusion on the roster would not only bring an infusion of (local) talent, but it would also create roster flexibility. The Bruins have yet to address their blue line this offseason, and a Vesey signing could enable the Bruins to send David Krejci, Ryan Spooner, Frank Vatrano or others elsewhere to do so….thanks in large part to Backes’ ability to play center or wing.

Regardless of who comes in and who goes out, the organization knows it can count on the battle-tested Backes to immediately claim a leadership role, regardless of whether or not he’s wearing a letter. With the organization having fallen flat on it’s face at the end of the past two seasons and going through a bit of a youth movement, the Backes signing is about more than metrics and goals. It’s about bringing a leader of men into the fold, and that’s something metrics and stats cannot quantify.