Boston Bruins: Looks like we’re stuck with David Backes

Most teams in the salary cap era end up with a contract or two (more in some cases) that they’d love to rid themselves of. The Boston Bruins are no different; that contract being the one belonging to David Backes.

There is always risk when signing an unrestricted free agent to a contract with a bit of term to it, especially as most free agents are in their late twenties and most players see a decline in their thirties. There are some exceptions to the rule; Zdeno Chara instantly springs to mind as someone that merely adapted in his thirties. Unfortunately for the Boston Bruins, David Backes doesn’t appear to be an exception and has struggled to adapt.

David Backes was signed by the Boston Bruins to a five-year deal worth $6 million a season commencing in the 2016-17 season, leaving behind the team he was drafted by and captained, the St. Louis Blues.

At the time, the deal seemed bold; this is a player that is right now a 35 year-old and thus likely already headed towards decline as the ink dried on the contract. However, his final three seasons with the Blues saw him tally 57, 58 and 45 points whilst routinely being a scorer of 20 or more goals, giving some reasoning for the Boston Bruins having faith in him.

Couple that with the fact he plays the slightly old-time style that is so beloved in Boston; there is grit and tenacity to his game. Possibly a few too many penalty minutes, but he was a player the Boston Bruins no doubt liked because they knew he wasn’t about to back-down to anyone.

Either way, it doesn’t really look like it’s working out, but despite that, the Boston Bruins’ General Manager, Don Sweeney has verbalised what appears to be a vote of confidence for the ageing Backes.

Envisioning a player with such a significant cap hit as a bottom-six and potentially fourth-line guy is bold in an era where every little dollar against your cap hit counts. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers what bloated contracts do to your team – Milan Lucic isn’t doing them any favours with a very similar deal. Nor is Patrick Marleau with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Worst part is; these aren’t the sort of deals that prove very easy to trade. To get rid of David Backes; not only would they need to find a trading partner, and I believe, have the player agree, but the Boston Bruins would likely have to add a prospect or draft pick, minimum, to sweeten the deal.

More from Bruins News

• Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
• Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
• The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
• NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
• The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci

Buy him out, you say?

Even that isn’t necessarily the best solution. Yes, there would be a saving against the salary cap, but you can’t forget that a buy-out ends up hurting you in the long run. Look at the fact the Carl Seidenberg deal is only just cleaning itself off the books after he was bought out. That’d be why even that approach isn’t great for the Boston Bruins.

For better or worse, it seems the Boston Bruins are committing to David Backes for the duration of his contract. Given that he found himself healthy scratched from Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in the past week, there’s clearly not a ton of faith from his head coach.

This situation can only really get worse, provided the decline in his play continues. If we’re lucky, David Backes turns back the clock and the Boston Bruins get a productive third-line player that is overpaid by probably $3 million.

If we’re unlucky, the Boston Bruins get an average fourth-liner or worse still, a guy sitting in the press-box at a cost of $6 million a year; an overpay for that role of at least $4.5 million!

Whatever the case, the Boston Bruins now seem committed to their contractual mistake and will ride it out as best they can. It will likely lose them Marcus Johansson, but hopefully nobody else.