David Backes’ Start
David Backes struggles out of the gate.
A perrenial slow starter, David Backes seems to be really trying to cement that reputation this season. Through the first 6 games of the season he’s been a shadow of the player we saw in the last 60 games of 2008-09. The importance of David Backes to this team is larger than a lot of people think. When he’s on his game he can control a large part of the game. Forechecking and puck possession down low are two of his biggest strenghs, and both of these have been sorely lacking this year. His poor point production is only a small indication of his play. 2 points in 6 games isn’t good, but it’s his lack of puck possession and physical play that needs to step up and make more room on the ice for players like McDonald and Boyes.
The fact that he’s struggling might not be a huge surprise, very often after a young player has a breakout campaign, he struggles early in the next season. Backes doesn’t seem like a young player in comparison to others in the Blues locker room, but people forget he’s only 25 and in his 4th full year in the NHL.
A quick way to tell how a players confidence is going is often to watch him away from the puck. If a player consistently curls instead of a quick two foot stop when a puck goes by, it often shows frustration. Not a lot of people buy into that theory but I’ve seen it countless times. I seem to see Backes curling from the play instead of quick stops and starts. This will happen more often when he plays center instead of wing, but it seems to be more noticeable than usual.
I have no concerns that Backes will regain the form that saw him score 30 plus goals last year, but the longer this play continues, the harder it is on the Blues to roll the three scoring lines that they ideally want to roll. A player like Backes might just need to stir the pot, and possible drop the gloves to get a little swagger back in his step.
As a player that doesn’t really fall into the “kid” or the “vet” classification, Backes consistently flies under the radar when it comes to both expectations and criticism. If Perron or Kariya underperforms they will hear about it before a player like Backes will.
Backes needs to simplify his game, get the puck, drop the shoulder and drive to the net. He’s a player that needs to play facing away from the net, protecting the puck, moreso than facing the net. I think he will start doing this, partly due to Andy Murray, and he’ll produce very similarily to last years 2nd half.
The sooner Backes makes this write-up seem silly, the better for the Blues.
