David Backes may want to make Boston his final stop in his NHL career.
The Boston Bruins were looking for a serious playmaker to augment their roster this offseason. The Black and gold were able to woo St.Louis Blues captain David Backes to Boston, they’re strongest move so far. The 32-year old forward is a leader, a playmaker, and a versatile forward. He seems like the right player to replace Loui Eriksson on the B’s top line.
While many of the fans were happy to see the addition of Backes in Boston, some fans were not convinced. Eriksson was a year younger than Backes, and put up eighteen more points than Backes did (Backes had 45 points (21 goals) for the Blues) last season. Still, Backes plays with an aggressiveness that is more in-line with the Bruins mentality.
Backes seemed to shrug off any concerns about his age or why the St.Louis organization seemed reluctant to re-sign their captain who had played 727 games over the last 10 seasons for the Blues.
“I’m 32, not 52. Time will tell, but I feel really good and I take care of my body. I lay it all on the line, but when I’m not at the rink I’m resting and recovering for the next time I have to pour it all into a game,” said Backes. “Time will be the judge, but I feel like five years I’ll even have a couple more after that.
“I don’t think this is going to be end. That’s my plan. I’m still going to get better over the next five years, and hopefully have a couple of opportunities to hoist that big trophy I’ve been chasing around for the last 10 years.”
The Boston Bruins came a long way in a few seasons to win the Stanley Cup in 2011. With a few minor tweaks and a couple of strong defensemen, Backes and the Bruins could be serious Stanley Cup contenders again.
Backes has already started to plant some roots in Boston. He threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park. He spent the day at a local animal shelter to promote a cause dear to him and his family. Not many players have hit the ground running this quickly. Perhaps it’s too early to tell, but maybe Backes is looking at Boston not just for the next five years, but beyond that.