Bruins Sign Forward David Backes To Five-Year Contract Through The 2020-21 Season Worth $6 Million Annually
Friday, 07.1.2016 / 2:44 PM ET
/ News
Boston Bruins
BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, July 1, that the team has signed forward David Backes to a five-year contract through the 2020-21 season worth an average annual value of $6 million.
Backes, 32, completed his 10th season with the St. Louis Blues in 2015-16, producing 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points with 83 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating in 79 games. The 6-foot-3, 221-pound forward helped lead the Blues to a berth in the Western Conference Finals, skating in 20 postseason games and amassing seven goals and seven assists.
Backes has worn a letter in seven of his 10 NHL seasons with the Blues, including the “C” in each of his last five seasons. Backes has led the Blues in hits in eight of the last nine seasons and ranked in the top-20 in the NHL in hits in each of his last nine years, dating back to 2007-08. He was top-5 in the league in hits in 2007-08 and 2009-10, while also setting a career high with 273 hits in 2013-14, third-most in the NHL. Backes was also a runner-up to Patrice Bergeron for the 2012 Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the best defensive forward. He recorded his best statistical season in 2010-11, as he skated in all 82 games and posted 31 goals and 31 assists for a career-high 62 points with a career-best plus-32 rating (second in the NHL behind Zdeno Chara) en route to his first All-Star Game appearance.
In his 10-year NHL career, Backes has skated in 727 games, amassing 206 goals and 254 assists for 460 points with 969 penalty minutes and a 49.7 faceoff win percentage. He ranks sixth on the Blues’ all-time scoring list. The right-shot forward is also a veteran of 49 postseason games, scoring 12 goals and adding 15 assists for 27 points.
Backes has represented the United States in international play several times, including earning a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Backes has played in 12 combined games at both the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, compiling four goals and three assists. He has also played for the U.S. at the World Championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009, recording two goals and seven assists. Backes has been selected to represent the U.S. at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
The Minneapolis, Minnesota native was originally selected by St. Louis in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Backes, 32, completed his 10th season with the St. Louis Blues in 2015-16, producing 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points with 83 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating in 79 games. The 6-foot-3, 221-pound forward helped lead the Blues to a berth in the Western Conference Finals, skating in 20 postseason games and amassing seven goals and seven assists.
Backes has worn a letter in seven of his 10 NHL seasons with the Blues, including the “C” in each of his last five seasons. Backes has led the Blues in hits in eight of the last nine seasons and ranked in the top-20 in the NHL in hits in each of his last nine years, dating back to 2007-08. He was top-5 in the league in hits in 2007-08 and 2009-10, while also setting a career high with 273 hits in 2013-14, third-most in the NHL. Backes was also a runner-up to Patrice Bergeron for the 2012 Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the best defensive forward. He recorded his best statistical season in 2010-11, as he skated in all 82 games and posted 31 goals and 31 assists for a career-high 62 points with a career-best plus-32 rating (second in the NHL behind Zdeno Chara) en route to his first All-Star Game appearance.
In his 10-year NHL career, Backes has skated in 727 games, amassing 206 goals and 254 assists for 460 points with 969 penalty minutes and a 49.7 faceoff win percentage. He ranks sixth on the Blues’ all-time scoring list. The right-shot forward is also a veteran of 49 postseason games, scoring 12 goals and adding 15 assists for 27 points.
Backes has represented the United States in international play several times, including earning a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Backes has played in 12 combined games at both the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, compiling four goals and three assists. He has also played for the U.S. at the World Championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009, recording two goals and seven assists. Backes has been selected to represent the U.S. at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
The Minneapolis, Minnesota native was originally selected by St. Louis in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
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