Filed under: Blues
The St. Louis Blues have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season, racing out to a 9-2-1 start and entering this weekend tied for first place in the NHL's toughest division (the Central). The Blues have plenty of young talent and a nice mix of skill and the type of gritty, two-way players that a cup contender needs, to go with a playoff-tested goaltender that's shown he's capable of carrying a team on his back in April and May. On Friday, the Blues managed to lock up one of their key young players for the next couple of years, signing 26-year-old forward David Backes to a five-year contract extension that will pay him an average annual salary of $4.5 million per season. He would have been eligible for free agency following this season had a new deal not been struck. Said general manager Doug Armstrong in a statement released by the team, "David could have been an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and we are excited that he has made the long term commitment to the Blues organization ... The way he handles himself on and off the ice represents what the Blues are all about."
And he does. He's a power forward that is currently in the prime of his career and has already flashed 30-goal ability, as well as a willingness to play a physical game and take care of himself -- and his teammates -- by dropping the gloves.
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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/12/david-backes-signs-5-year-extension-with-blues/
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