David Backes To The Wing Builds Momentum

The St. Louis Blues preseason is well underway. After a split-squad pair of games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team is 1-1 in preseason.

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The most interesting part of the training camp (to me at least) is whether team-captain, David Backes, will shift to the wing. Personally, I think it would do wonders for his production as well as let other younger centers take the position on the top 2 lines.

Backes is on the wrong side of 30, and his utility as a goalscorer could increase exponentially with a move to right wing. STL Today discussed Jaden Schwartz, the long-time left winger, and his training camp practices spent lining up at center. With center Jori Lehtera still out with an injury, it will make room for another candidate to slot in on the 2nd line.

The injuries to Lehtera and Patrik Berglund have thinned out what was once a stable of centermen, but the could change when the players return. Ken Hitchcock is a believer in this experiment moving Schwartz to center.

It looked very good through practices and scrimmages. It’s quickness, speed, tempo through the middle of the ice, play-making ability. He’s looking more and more comfortable every time he goes out on the ice. But now we’re into playing against a team with a different colored sweater, so we’ll see how this looks. So we’ll try to play him over the next two or three games against real good opposition to get a good read on it.

I think moving Schwartz to center is a good idea to test out in preseason. I don’t think the 23-year-old would have too much trouble with his new responsibilities. He would be handling the puck more bringing it up the ice, as well as taking more face-offs than he may have in the past.

Mar 14, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues center David Backes (42) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Minnesota Wild during the third period at Scottrade Center. The Wild won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve been a longtime supporter of a Backes move to the wing. His physicality in front of the net and rebounding ability is one of the best on the team. He discussed his right wing experiment with STL Today, “It seems like every summer these conversations happen, ‘Are you playing wing or are you playing center?’ If I told you I had a concrete answer, I’d be lying to you. It seems as though through injury or through play, Hitch or whoever the coach is, seems to like me playing center and that’s where I end up. That being said, I’m open to whatever makes us most success as a team. Maybe it’s a little bit of back and forth, but … we’ll see what happens.”

In the last year of his contract, Backes needs to prove he has a place on this team going forward. Sure, his 58 points in 80 games played last season are solid, but his playoff record with the St. Louis Blues leaves much to be desired. The captain has 13 points in 29 playoff games, but has failed to move past the 2nd round in his career. If he is successful at center, I could see the Blues, or another team in need of a physical veteran on the wing, handing him another deal, perhaps in the 3-year range.

One thing is for sure, Backes will get a look at right wing in preseason and perhaps it could lead to big things for his club in 2015-2016.

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