St. Louis Blues Top 5 Players For Fantasy Hockey

David Backes Still Has Plenty Of Fantasy Value

Jan 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues center David Backes (42) yells at Edmonton Oilers left wing Taylor Hall (not pictured) as linesman Andy McElman (90) hold him back during the third period at Scottrade Center. The Blues defeated the Oilers 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Captain David Backes might not be the first line center he was in the past, but he has as much fantasy value as ever.

In 80 games last season, Backes scored 26 goals and added 32 assists. His offensive production is consistently decent, but don’t expect him to have a break out 40 goal season.

Where Backes’ real fantasy value comes from is his penalty minutes. His 104 PIM from the 2014-2015 season placed him 14th in the NHL.

While his 104 PIM is a far cry from Steve Downie’s league leading 238, Backes is the only player with more than 100 PIM and over 50 points.

ESPN has Backes at 60 in their pre-draft rankings. Regardless of who is playing in your league, Backes can help your team in a variety of ways. Draft Backes in the fourth or fifth round to reap all the benefits of his penalty minutes.

Next: Jaden Schwartz Stays Strong