David Backes’ time with the Boston Bruins might be done.
The Bruins on Friday put the veteran forward on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Providence. The rest of the NHL has 24 hours to claim Backes or he’ll be assigned to the P-Bruins.
Backes, it should be noted, is in the fourth year of a five-year, $30 million contract, meaning he’d still be on the books for $6 million next season in addition to the rest of his salary for this season.
Backes has appeared in just 16 games this season for the Bruins, scoring a goal and adding a pair of assists. Even when he was getting into the lineup, the 35-year-old was averaging 8 minutes and 33 seconds of ice time per game, nearly 9 minutes below his career average. A lack of production obviously is a big reason for his reduction in playing time, but injuries haven’t helped, either. Backes missed 13 games earlier this season with a concussion.
“I’m trying to find gratitude in being here and knowing that this is finite,” Backes recently told The Athletic. “Certainly everyone knows it’s finite. But when you face a potential point like that when you say, ‘This doctor could tell me I’m damaged and I shouldn’t be playing hockey anymore,’ or he’s going to tell me I’m OK and I can go ahead full steam, there’s some contemplation — no question at that time — that I don’t know what the outcome is going to be.”
