The captain has no desire to jump ship.
After helping the St. Louis Blues come close to the Stanley Cup, David Backes doesn't appear set on testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent come July 1, preferring instead to re-sign with the club.
Backes said there's "no question" he wants to return. #stlblues
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) May 28, 2016
The 32-year-old is coming off a five-year deal that carried an average annual valuation of $4.5 million, and propped up his value by contributing seven goals and seven assists in 20 playoff games in 2016.
Whether the two sides can reach common ground, while still ensuring the club can take care of younger players in need of new deals in the coming years remains to be seen.
"Hopefully it all works out, but it is the unfortunate side of sports that guys staying with one team is rare," Backes said, according to Lou Korac of NHL.com. "But maybe I'm one of those rare guys. That would be great."
A second-round pick in 2003, Backes - who was named captain back in 2011 - has played all 727 games of his career in St. Louis, with 206 goals and 254 assists to his credit.
