Last summer the first offer sheets didn’t appear until
several days into the UFA market.
This year we’ve got one on opening day, as the Vancouver
Canucks have signed St. Louis Blues RFA forward David Backes to a three-year, $7.5
million offer sheet.
As per TSN the Blues now have a week to match the offer or
received the Canucks second round pick in the 2009 entry draft as compensation.
Canucks GM Mike Gillis promised to make some bold moves and this
one is certainly bold, although this move is a puzzling one.
Backes is a promising young forward whom the Blues hoped to
re-sign but in his first two NHL seasons he’s posted up 23 points in 49 games
and only 31 in 72 games last season.
The Canucks are hoping to bolster their offensive depth and
it’s understandable they’d want to bring in a younger forward with his best
years still ahead, but $2. 5 million per season is a steep raise and could put
significant pressure on Backes if the Blues match or not.
I’m not sure if Backes is a former client of Gillis when he
was still a player agent but if he is that’ll go a long way to further
explaining why the Canucks new GM is taking this risk.
**UPDATE!** The Blues wasted little time in announcing they would match the Canucks offer, meaning Backes will be staying in St. Louis. Swing and a miss for Gillis.
I'm really hoping the Blues match this. Backes is more than just a points guy. He's big, plays with a mean streak, hits like a freight train and he's not afraid to drop the gloves. I think 40 -50 points a season for someone who can do all the above is pretty respectable. And in todays NHL getting that player for 2.5 million a year for 3 years is a deal. Would the Blues be overpaing? Yes, but not by as much as some would believe. There is also no one else like him ready to step up into his place. You can't contend or win cups without players like him and 2 years down the road he would be sorley missed.
Ok, they offered Sundin 20 big ones over two year. Hope to hell he signs or else the canucks are going to be missing the playoffs again. At his age, he is still an impact player who can score those big goals when it counts. Welcome to vancouver Sundin. If Naslund don't sign again, the canucks are really in hell. Sundin and Naslund together can be a explosive combination.
john lee
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
