ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - David Backes was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, played here for 10 years and will now officially retire as a Blue. He signed a one-day contract with the team to end his NHL career.
The contract was signed Thursday and Backes penned a heartfelt message to St. Louis fans, which you can read on NHL.com/Blues.
"Following my last game, it was clear to me that I needed to retire as a member of the St. Louis Blues," Backes wrote. "That night reiterated that St. Louis was my home. It is where my wife and I grew into adulthood and it was the organization we needed to retire with. The feeling was mutual with the Blues and I am so humbled that this journey has come full circle for me to end this amazing ride with the same organization that called my name at the draft 18 years ago."
Backes, 37, drafted by the Blues in the second round, 62nd overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to spend his first 10 seasons with the Blues, making him one of just 14 players to wear the Blue Note for at least a decade.
He helped lead the Blues to the postseason six times, including 2015-16, when the team reached the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
A 2011 All-Star, he currently ranks 7th in Blues history in regular-season games played, 7th in goals, 10th in assists, 7th in points and 5th in penalty minutes.
Following his Blues career, Backes spent four seasons with the Boston Bruins before rounding out his career with a two-year stint with the Anaheim Ducks. He ends his career with 965 regular-season games, 561 points (248 goals, 313 assists) and 1,148 penalty minutes.
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