David Backes is in an unfavorable situation. The man who has multiple 30-goal seasons is not going to produce any 30-goal seasons anymore.
However, he attempts to stay determined to help the Boston Bruins as much as he can.
Looking at his $6 million average annual value brings nightmares to many Bruins fans, but especially their front office. With the salary cap situation becoming tighter and tighter every day, shedding such a salary would mean a world for Boston.
Not until June 2021, though.
As much as it’s a terrible contract, that much is Backes a nice and kind guy. Always honest, helpful, smiling, hard-working, giving his all on every shift. Still, the age is catching up to him, as he is already 35 and suffering from multiple injuries.
There were some rumors at the beginning of the season that Backes might commence the season on the long-term injured reserve with his head issues from many concussions in the past. “I’m going to give it everything I’ve got until they tell me I’m done playing,” said Backes in September, ahead of the Training Camp.
Following a worthy preseason action for the veteran, he has spent the beginning of the season mainly on the fourth line. At the start of November, he suffered an apparent concussion in a wicked collision with the Ottawa Senators’ Scott Sabourin, sending the Senators forward to the hospital.
Backes went directly down the tunnel after Sabourin was stretchered off the ice, the man was in tears. Tough scenes for the 35-year-old veteran. He has missed almost a month with his injury. More than that, one would assume, Backes needed to re-settle and re-focus on what´s next for him. He even considered retirement.
“Two weeks ago, I wasn’t even skating,” Backes said. “I didn’t know if I was done for my career.”
Speaking for the first time since a collision with the Senators’ Scott Sabourin, Bruins’ David Backes said he’s healthy and ready to return to game action. To ease any concerns, he went for a second opinion to make sure his brain is healthy and he was assured that it is.
— Joe McDonald (@JoeyMacHockey) November 30, 2019
Following 28 days of absence, Backes was back on the ice. It’s more than clear that it all hinged on him and whether he feels 100 percent to come back, not just physically, but first and foremost mentally.
To play his first game back in action and scoring a mid-third-period game-winning goal to sink the Montreal Canadiens, this is almost a poetic outing.
Backes seemed rejuvenated on the bench after scoring his first goal of the season. Two seasons in a row Backes scored his first goal of the season versus the Habs.
https://twitter.com/mkmolnar/status/1201327586720337920
He cannot un-sign his current contract and sign for much less. The only thing he can do is to make sure he gives his 100 percent on every shift, in every practice. In this way, Backes can be particularly effective for the Bruins. His career, given his long list of injuries and concussions, is probably nearing its end. The same could be said about his stint with Boston, as his current deal concludes in less than two years.
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