David Backes might represent a case of addition by subtraction.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan believes the Boston Bruins made their “best decision” of the 2019-20 season last week when they put the veteran right wing on waivers.
“The Bruins put 35-year-old David Backes on waivers last week, and he should report to the AHL after the break,” Kaplan wrote Thursday. “It wasn’t easy considering Backes is expensive ($6 million per season) and well-liked, but it’s the right call because he simply wasn’t making an impact.
Assigning Backes to the AHL Providence Bruins creates a valuable roster spot the Bruins can fill with hopes of bolstering their pursuit of the Stanley Cup by solidifying their respective places in the both the Eastern Conference standings and the NHL power rankings.
Speaking of those, ESPN pegged the Bruins at No. 3 in the latest installment of their NHL power rankings. They split a home-and-home series with the Pittsburgh Penguins and beat the Vegas Golden Knights during the most recent ranking period to retain their spot for the fourth consecutive week. The Bruins will hold that position for at least another two weeks, as they embark on the NHL All-Star break.
After slotting Boston in at No. 4 last week, NHL.com ranked the Bruins third in the latest edition of its NHL power rankings. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen hails the impact David Krejci made on his return from injury but also laments Boston’s inability to make the most of its man advantages.
Hit: David Krejci returned Tuesday after missing two games with an upper-body injury, and the center had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights at TD Garden.
Miss: Their power play is 0-for-15 in the past four games.
Enjoy the NHL All-Star break.
