Boston Bruins: Can David Backes find redemption on new-look third line?

The Boston Bruins would love David Backes to play to the full value of his $6 million a year contract. With his placement on the third line, it’s unlikely, but he can still be an effective contributor.

David Backes enters this year knowing his hefty contract with the Boston Bruins still has two full seasons to run. Luckily, he’s the sort of guy that heard the criticism last year and felt the frustration of being scratched from Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and has used it as motivation.

Coming into training camp this season, David Backes seems determined to prove people wrong; Boston Bruins management and fans alike. Luckily for him, they’ve possibly found him the perfect spot.

Slotting in as the right-wing of a third-line trio comprising Charlie Coyle at center and Danton Heinen on the other wing, it’s looks to be a hard-working, fore-checking type group that is more than willing to be physical but not in the old-school sense.

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Smart physicality is what should set this trio apart; knowing when to lay the hit and get in the scuffle versus when to use size and body positioning to overpower opposition third line groups.

The Boston Bruins are made up a little differently to some of the other third-line trios around the league with a lot focusing on youth, speed and skill rather than the tried-and-tested sandpaper that we’ll be icing.

Given Charlie Coyle broke out in the post-season last year and is widely tipped, including by his own teammates to be the big break-out star this season, it’s fair to say that David Backes has landed in a position of strength and will want to call upon all his previous NHL experience to ensure he makes himself valuable.

Perhaps it’s actually all one big marketing campaign and the Boston Bruins management are seeking to boost David Backes’ value or perhaps there isn’t any funny business here and in fact, it’s a group put together to give the best possible result.

Either way, David Backes will need to hit the ground running as the next generation of Boston Bruins talent showed a definite hunger at training camp and in pre-season to steal roster spots.

Can Backes find redemption on the third line?

I’d like to hope so.

Can he do it consistently across an 82 game campaign at his age and with the speed of some of the younger generation he’ll be facing? That’s the biggest question.