With the St. Louis Blues eliminated, David Backes will play for the U.S. team in the 2013 World Hockey Championships.
Backes generated a disappointing offensive output in the 2013 regular season, managing 28 points in 48 games on just 100 SOG. His six goals would've been well short of the pace he generated in 2010-11 (31 tallies) and 2011-12 (24).

David Backes recorded an assist in St. Louis' 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday.
Backes has a point in each of the Blues last two games, but it hasn't been enough to take either contest. He also has 20 hits and has won 59.6% of his faceoff opportunities in five playoff games.

David Backes says the St. Louis Blues need to do "some soul-searching" after the Los Angeles Kings tied the series at 2 games apiece Monday night.
The Blues have now lost two straight games and allowed more goals Monday than in the previous three games combined. "To score three on them was fine and dandy but to give up four, that's not our style. We've got some soul-searching to do, look in the mirror and bring a better effort and more composed effort when we get home on Wednesday," Backes said after Monday's 4-3 loss. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night in St. Louis.

David Backes led the Blues with six shots on goal in a 1-0 loss Saturday night.
Backes hasn't recorded a point in the Blues' first-round series. Barret Jackman blocked a team-high three shots on goal. Vladimir Sobotka won an incredible seven of his eight faceoff draws.

David Backes was one of few St. Louis Blues to contribute in a 5-3 loss to Colorado Sunday.
Backes registered a goal, an assist and two penalty minutes in the losing effort and while he hasn't scored consistently this year he's still a reliable fantasy commodity, especially in leagues that reward PIM. Kevin Shattenkirk and Jaden Schwartz were the other goal scorers for the Blues in the loss.

Blues forward David Backes has only scored five times in 36 contests this season, but he's currently riding a two-game scoring streak.
It may sound like a small feat, but the current streak is the only time this season the Blues captain has tallied in back-to-back games. "As a slow starter or whatever in a normal season, do the eight months of summer and lockout exacerbate that slow start for a big guy? I think it definitely does," Backes said. "Whether we're over that hump now, or what's going on, I don't know." The penalty minutes he has amassed have softened the blow for some of his fantasy owners, but his decrease in shots on goal are an indication the reduced offense may be the new reality for the power forward.

David Backes scored his fourth goal of the season on Thursday.
Backes has 21 points and 46 penalty minutes in 35 games this season. He's one of the most versatile players in the game from a fantasy perspective and that's even more true if your league values hits. He ranks eighth in the league with 123 hits.

After three consecutive losses, the St. Louis Blues have slipped to the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference standing but center David Backes says the team's players must refrain from looking back as it prepares for its final 15 games of the regular season.
"We can't be looking back on any of these games anymore saying we could have had two points here," Backes said. "We've used our allotment of those games where we had two points sitting there. Now it's time to grab those two points, whether it's pretty, ugly or whatever. Put them in the bank and move forward and keep a ball rolling, build something here." The next phase of the Blues' schedule offers few favors as the club will play six of its next seven on the road, including two games versus No. 4 Minnesota and one apiece against No. 1 Chicago and No. 6 Detroit.

David Backes has just three goals in 25 games this season.
Backes recorded a team-high eight shots on goal on Sunday, but had nothing to show for it. Most Backes owners probably aren't panicking because he's still largely lived up to expectations in terms of points and PIMs, but it is certainly an oddity. He's getting about as many shots as normal, but he's only managed to find the net 5.6% of the time, compared to 11.9% over his career. Look for him to do far better in terms of goals per game in the second half of 2013.

Updating a previous item, David Backes returned to the ice for the Blues after departing with an apparent injury earlier in Thursday's contests against the Blackhawks.
It's both encouraging and surprising to see Backes rejoin his teammates in this game considering how shaken up he appeared when he collided with Brandon Saad. His owners can breathe a sigh of relief.

David Backes had to be helped off the ice after suffering an apparent injury in Thursday's matchup with the Blackhawks.
Backes collided with Chicago's Brandon Saad in the second period of the game and lay on the ice in obvious pain before being helped from the rink. The typically durable forward is not one to embellish injuries so it would be shocking if he returned to this contest.

David Backes (groin) will play Friday night.
Backes was dealing with a groin strain that forced him from Thursday's skate, though he was able to get through Friday's. The center has nine points in 13 games.

The St. Louis Blues are classifying David Backes (groin) as a game-time decision on Friday.
Backes left Thursday's skate early, although he did make it through the entirety of Friday's practice. He's dealing with a groin strain. "We'll see how it goes hour to hour and hopefully playing tonight...I think it passed the test and hopefully get the nod, so we're 100 percent tonight," Backes said. He's played in 207 consecutive games.

The slow start experienced by the Blues' David Backes is in line with his career norms.
Backes has caused some concern among his fantasy owners due to his subpar start to the season, but Saturday was a sign that he's snapping out of his typical early-season funk. Backes has never registered more than five points in the first 10 games of a season so the six he had entering Saturday actually represent a career-best. The Blues captain was lined up alongside T.J. Oshie and Andy McDonald against the Ducks and picked up a goal and an assist in the shootout loss. We're inclined to think Backes will be just fine.

David Backes had a goal and an assist in Saturday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Backes and teammates Alex Steen and Chris Stewart did pretty much all they could against the previously impenetrable Viktor Fasth. Both Steen and Stewart had a goal and two assists in the loss, while Kevin Shattenkirk and Andy McDonald each chipped in two assists of their own.

David Backes' game misconduct for his actions on Friday have been rescinded.
Backes was ejected from Friday's 5-3 loss to Detroit because of an illegal hit to the head to Detroit's Kent Huskins. However, it was apparent based on the replays that Backes never made contact with Huskins' head. Detroit ended up scoring the game-winning goal during the resulting power play.

David Backes generated a goal and an assist as the Blues defeated Columbus 4-1 Thursday.
The goal was his first of the season giving him five points in seven games. T.J. Oshie contributed two assists in the victory while Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrik Berglund and Barret Jackman also scored for St. Louis.