David Backes to Bruins: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

July 1st, 2016 by Tim Daniels Leave a reply »

Veteran free-agent center David Backes reached an agreement Friday with the Boston Bruins on a five-year contract.  

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported the details of the deal. Craig Custance of ESPN confirmed the high-profile signing.

Backes has been a highly reliable player since making his debut in St. Louis during the 2006-07 campaign. A two-way forward with equal parts of skill and grit, the 2003 second-round pick provided the Blues with 460 points (206 goals and 254 assists) in 727 games across a decade in the NHL.

He's coming off a season that saw him tally 21 goals and 24 assists in 79 games. The 45 points represented his lowest full-season total since 2007-08. He did reach the 20-goal plateau for the fifth straight year, excluding the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, though.

The drop-off still raised questions about his value heading into his mid-30s. Players whose contracts come up after a down year are often the most difficult decisions for front offices to make.

The Minnesota native confirmed he felt comfortable in St. Louis following the team's elimination from the p ...

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