Backes will get the chance to visit with several former teammates for dinner on Monday. The Bruins, who will play the third of a four-game road trip, arrived in St. Louis after their game on Sunday, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Backes' wife, Kelly, and daughter, Stella, have been staying with Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and his wife Jayne for a couple days and plan to stay for a week.
"For me, he and I talk all the time; we're really good friends obviously," Pietrangelo said. "Kelly and their daughter's been here for a few days already. For me, it's not different. It's on my territory. I think it's a little bit weird for them because they're coming back, seeing all their old friends. Those two developed a lot of relationships in the time they were here. They had a pretty big impact in this community, not only the Blues, but St. Louis in general. There's a lot of people that are trying to reach out to them and rightfully so. They've done a great job when they're here."
Backes had 206 goals and 254 assists in 727 regular season games with the Blues, and 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Backes invested much of his hockey life in St. Louis on and off the ice, and the Blues will honor him with a video tribute during the first period.
"I think it's a second go-round for us so it's a little different," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I'm sure for David it will be unique and once in a lifetime. Both teams are fighting for a playoff spot and fighting for positioning so the focus will be on the game a little more for us. It was emotional for us when we went to Boston for the whole team, but I think the team is more accustomed to it now. It will be emotional for David.
"I'm sure he's going to get a big ovation. He deserves it. He was a good player for a long time here. Some people are good players, and then there's good people. David's good people. He was great in the community, great on the ice, great as a leader, he did a lot of things. He sure made my job a lot easier."
Backes, who has 11 goals and 10 assists in 35 games this season, scored a goal in the Blues' 4-2 victory in Boston, and he'll be ready to play once the puck drops.
"The way he plays, it's going to be business as usual, so if we give him space and respect, he's going to make us pay for it, especially me," Pietrangelo said. "There's obviously going to be a little tribute; I think we all know the situation, but he plays the game hard; it'll be business as usual once that puck drops."