David Backes Rumors???

The last 24 hours has brought some interesting news regarding St. Louis Blues forward David Backes.

Thanks to Andy Strickland’s postulation on Backes’ impending unrestricted free agency to comments made by Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos, Blues fans are questioning how long the rough and tough Minnesota bred foward will wear the Bluenote.

Before everyone hustles over to HF Boards to see the“latest trade proposal”, let’s just recap a bit.

- Strickland posted a blog discussing the contract options. Covering potential value/term, comparable players, production, desire to stay, and recent Blues contracts. A top to bottom look at where the eventual negotiations could go and why.

That’s all.

I’d be willing to bet if there was more to this than a blog to generate hits, Andy would be pushing a rumor. Not dissecting the situation.

- Nick Kypreos is a name few in St. Louis may remember, but he is a fairly well connected insider in Canada. During an intermission in Tuesday nights Leafs/Panthers game the former New York Ranger antagonist talked about David Backes as well.

All Blues fans need to know is that TV analyst discussed the same scenarios and inforamtion as Strickland. There was a slight miunderstanding as some viewers head Kyper to say ,Backes doesnt like St. Louis/wants out.

On Twitter Kypreos refutes, tweeting Wednesday morning, “We talked about Backes potentially pricing himself out of STL. Nothing about him wanting out.”

As Andy asid in his blog, all indications point to the Backes family liking St. Louis just fine. This is not a Chris Pronger/Edmonton situation. Don’t draw conclusions to that point.

Yes, David will be looking for a raise. Pending his performance the percentage of said raise could increase. An increase that may handicap the effort to retain other vital pieces like Roman Polak, TJ Oshie or Patrik Berglund.

If we’re going down that road, go ahead and kick off the Brad Boyes and Andy McDonald trade rumors.

Premature?

So is worrying about seeing Backes at Lambert boarding a plane to Toronto (or Vancouver).