St. Louis Blues: David Backes Has Finally Evolved Into A True Leader

Right or wrong, David Backes was given the captain’s C many years ago. Perhaps at the end of his tenure with the St. Louis Blues, he is finally living up to that moniker.

David Backes has had a big affect on the St. Louis Blues’ series with their rival Chicago Blackhawks. Some people will wonder how that can be so when he’s only got three points.

Well, take into account that he’s got three points in four games so far. He’s only ever had more points in one playoff season.

That came in 2011-12 and the four points scored came in nine games played against San Jose and Los Angeles. Backes has one fewer point now in five fewer games and still has more opportunities to put his stamp on this series and this playoff run.

Beyond just points, Backes has done everything well. In addition to doing everything well, he is taking the game as it comes instead of focusing on one thing and putting too much effort into one aspect each.

In the past Backes has focused too much on one issue and let the rest of his game suffer for it. Despite the fact that it was entertaining from a fan’s point of view, his efforts to get a strong check on every Canadian player he faced going into the 2010 Olympics took too much focus from the rest of his game.

Backes scored 31 goals in the season prior and the season after, but with the focus on physicality during the NHL season going into the Olympics in 2009-10, he only scored 17 goals. Sometimes he was looking for hits too much in the playoffs as well.

Backes had no goals in 2013-14 against the Chicago Blackhawks in that postseason run. Much of that was due to him attempting to show the Blackhawks how physical the Blues could be (though some of it was due to a questionable hit knocking him out and only playing in four of the six games). He would often get caught in the corners making a hit or tying someone up while the puck whizzed past him and down the ice for a break.

The captains meet…courtesy of baldhedjer photobucket,com /

The same can be said when too much focus was placed in other areas. Backes’ checking has often disappeared in the playoffs due to too much emphasis being placed on scoring. In years past, he was included in the core group of players that had to step up more offensively in the postseason for the Blues to be successful.

Not only did he not produce – two goals is currently his career high for any NHL postseason – but he took focus out of the other areas. He was so focused on attempting to score goals and be that player the team could rally behind that he put himself in unfamiliar positions, didn’t take root in front of the net like he’s needed to do and to use a phrase, he was gripping the stick too tightly.

This season, Backes has matured beyond measure and truly stepped up his game. He’s not trying to do too much and finally realizing his role within this current club.

He doesn’t have to be the focal point of the offense. He’s a third line player, has accepted that role and has flourished.

He doesn’t need to score the big goal and isn’t expected to. Vladimir Tarasenko and a couple others bear that burden now. That actually frees up Backes to produce more and also be more beneficial to everyone else by taking up space in front of the net like he should.

Not being relied on as THE guy, which never suited his game, has made him a more effective leader. He’s almost got a grander scope on the game now than he ever has.

When he was trying to be too physical, his offensive game suffered and he took silly penalties. Despite having his best career playoff numbers, Backes also took a lot of penalties in 2011-12 (18 overall PIM) and put his team behind the eight ball a lot against the Kings.

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Now that he seems to see the bigger picture, he’s been more of a help to his team. He’s clogging the lanes on the powerplay, which hasn’t given him special teams points but has benefited others.

His hit totals are about normal compared to other playoff years (17 through four games) but he’s not going out of his way. He’s smart about it. He hasn’t put himself in bad positions just attempting to rough someone up.

His shot percentage is currently tied with his career playoff high at 16.7%. Clearly that’s a number that jumps up and down given any particular night, but he’s done more with less so far this playoff run.

Speaking of that, he’s done all of this positive stuff with less ice time. While his regular season numbers stack up with the ice time he’s had throughout his career, he’s averaging two to four minutes less on the ice against the Blackhawks in 2015-16 than he’s seen in almost any other playoff season. Even with less time on the ice, he’s done more with it.

Not only has he scored, but he’s score a game winner in overtime to get the series started off right for his team. He got a key assist on the game winning powerplay goal in game 3. He’s still asked to kill off penalties and be part of the powerplay despite a slightly diminished 5-on-5 role.

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Backes’ time in a Bluenote may be shot. There are rumblings he may not be in the team’s long term plans. Arguments could be made for and against that idea, but for now he’s making his case.

He’s making his case that he’s finally the player that we all wanted him to be. He was never going to be Brett Hull or Adam Oates. However, he’s doing all the little things right and a couple big things too. If the Blues advance past Chicago, David Backes will be a big reason and he will likely play a factor in how far the team can go as well.

It won’t be just his scoring. It won’t be just because of his hitting. It won’t be just because of his leadership. It’ll be a little bit of all that and that’s just enough.

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