Boston Bruins: There is still hope for ditching the David Backes contract

The Boston Bruins are stuck with a contract that will be hard to rid itself of, namely that of David Backes; a former 50-point per year guy whose production has fallen off a cliff, leading to him being a healthy scratch for periods of the recent Stanley Cup Final run.

If we’ve seen anything in recent days though, it is that big contracts, even ones with non-trade clauses and cap hits far beyond the player’s present value, can be moved. The Boston Bruins, should they want to rid themselves of the David Backes deal, just need to find the right suitor.

Look to recent trades; PK Subban departed the Nashville Predators, complete with his $9 million cap hit for the next three seasons for what the New Jersey Devils will view as an absolute bargain price; Steven Santini, Jeremy Davies and two second-round picks.

One of those picks was this year’s one, which frankly the Devils won’t mind – they got Jack Hughes with their most important pick of the day!

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Patrick Marleau, on a similarly expensive contract to David Backes and with trade protection, also departed his team. The Toronto Maple Leafs had to give up a first round and seventh round pick, getting a sixth round pick in return for the Carolina Hurricanes taking the $6.25 million cap hit off their books.

It goes to show that there is a market out there for these sorts of players that signed deals that no longer represent their performance level in the NHL. The Boston Bruins should be scouring the list of teams with cap space to try and find a partner – I’m looking at the likes of the Colorado Avalanche, who surely you could convince David Backes are a good bet.

Just look at the youth and energy on that roster, I’m sure you could sell them on David Backes’ veteran leadership. The only question is; how expensive would a deal be?

If it’s cost the Toronto Maple Leafs a first rounder to rid themselves of a similar cap hit, you have to believe a very steep market has been set. Do the Boston Bruins want to find themselves giving up draft picks again this year, considering they only had five to stock the cupboard this year?

The big question this summer, I don’t think is what will Charlie McAvoy cost, nor is it what will Brandon Carlo cost; it’s what would it cost the Boston Bruins to ditch David Backes?