Through the first 13 seasons of his NHL career, David Backes has always had one approach. And he doesn't plan on changing it now.
"Balls to walls. It's the only way," Backes said on the opening day of training camp. "Start first shift in the first drill in practice and give it everything I've got until they tell me that I'm done playing. That's the way I've always been and that's the way I'm going to be, regardless of training camp, regular season, training all summer. That's my mindset, and I've got plenty of fuel burning inside of me to accomplish that."
He certainly does. The veteran winger's 2018-19 season did not end the way he envisioned, as he watched his former team skate away with the Stanley Cup. And what made it even more difficult was the fact that he watched the last two games of the Cup Final as a healthy scratch.
"I channel some of it, fester some of it away and let it motivate me," said Backes, who is entering his fourth season with the Black & Gold. "I needed to focus myself, too, on knowing what I can do as an athlete and having a great summer so I could do what I do best, and that's play the game. Not worry about other decisions that I don't get to make, that's out of my control.
"What's in my control is each shift, each play, each moment, and that's what I'm going to focus on all year starting with this one right now…that moment, that drill, and the decisions out of my control will be made."
Backes, who has two years remaining on his contract, said he was not contacted by the Bruins about a trade during the offseason.
"There's an eight-team trade list [in my contract] and that's been submitted," said Backes, who notched 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) in 70 games last season. "And those decisions are out of my control, so I'm gonna be here, and I love being here. I love the guys here and it's a great team."