Related
Put those rumors about Bruins forward David Backes not being ready for the start of training camp because of an injury to rest.
Wade Arnott, the agent for Backes, says they’re not true.
“Inaccurate reports – he is healthy and ready to go start of camp,” Arnott told WEEI.com in an email.
Rumors about Backes’ potential health problems have been circulating on social media all summer, but they became more substantial when NHL Network analyst Brian Lawton, a former NHL player, agent and executive, mentioned them during a segment on the league’s television station.
Backes had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 70 games, missing five games in October with a concussion, in the regular season in 2018-19. He then had two goals and three assists in the Stanley Cup playoffs, even sitting out the last three games of the Stanley Cup Final as a healthy scratch.
He’s entering the fourth year of a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million, a lot of money for someone that averaged 13:02 of ice time in mostly a fourth-line role. Backes’ health means that general manager Don Sweeney opted to not pay the price to trade Backes’ cap hit to make space for other players on the roster, notably unsigned restricted free agent defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. The Bruins have around $7 in cap space, according to CapFriendly.com. This offseason we saw the Toronto Maple Leafs trade Patrick Marleau's contract to Carolina at the price of a first-round draft pick.
The Bruins will report for their first official day of training camp next Thursday, Sept. 12.