Beyond the ‘C’: The Story of David Backes
AGE |
28
HEIGHT
6’ 3”
WEIGHT
225 lbs.
POSITION
Center/Right Wing
DRAFTED
62nd Overall in 2003
David Backes isn’t he most decorated captain in the National Hockey League, nor is he the most popular. This doesn’t mean that he isn’t a good captain. Anyone can be called a captain. It’s how you lead and how you prove to be a leader. This All-American isn’t only good at being a captain, but he also helps his country. He helped the USA team win Silver in Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics. This is Beyond the ‘C’: The Story of David Backes.
David Backed was born in a little place called Minneapolis, Minnesota in the year of 1984. He was a phenomenal hockey player for his high school, and advanced to the collegiate level. After his third and final college season, he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the early third round at 62nd. He went to the AHL to play for the Peoria Rivermen for the NHL lockout. During a summer camp in 2006, Backes was sent back down to Peoria to start the season. He got his call in December, and appeared in the NHL for the first time on December 19th, 2006. He got a second assist 40 seconds into the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins which put the Blues up 1-0. They ended up winning his first NHL game 4-1.
After the 2007-08 season, he became a restricted free agent. But, he almost slipped away after he signed an offer sheet presented by the Vancouver Canucks. The Blues quickly responded and matched the $7.5 million contract lasting through the 2010-11 season. A month into this season, he was handed a $22.5 million contract extension for 5 years. He was already an alternate captain, why not stay there and become captain one day? That is exactly what he did. Late in the 2010-11 season, Eric Brewer, the former captain, was sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning. This left the Blues captain-less for the rest of the season. On September 9th, 2011, the St. Louis organization selected Backes to succeed Brewer as the 20th captain in team history.
Editor’s Corner:
Kevin Glenn is the editor for Bleedin’ Blue. He is a fan of David Backes and here is what he has to say.
“Overall, I’d say that Blues fans see Backes as the do-it-all kind of player. He is hard working on the fore check and physical between the blue lines, has the offensive skill to be a legitimate first line center and power player, and is a constant performer for a very deep and consistent team. He embodies the idea of “Hitch Hockey” which the Blues have become known for – playing all out for your 45 second shift, whether you are on the scoring or checking line, power play or penalty kill. Backes is the perfect guy to lead an up and coming team to a Stanley Cup Title run.”
Closing Argument:
David Backes had a great opportunity this year to win the Stanley Cup. The team had their own Cinderella Story, being lifted up from Ken Hitchcock during the middle of the season. If he could have held on a little longer and played a little harder, I think they could have won.
Follow me on Twitter @NardoneDylan for some good hockey tweets and good hockey discussions.