Backes skated on a line with Ryan Spooner and David Krejci at practice Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

With a glut of centers, the Bruins have loaded up their second line with pivots, with Spooner working on the left side and Backes playing right wing, along with Krejci. It remains to be seen if the combo will stick, but at this stage it looks like the Bruins are inclined to stack that their top two lines, with Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak forming another skilled trio. Backes logged a 21/24/45 stat line in 79 games for the Blues last season, but he's already made a strong impression in his new uniform and is poised for a key role for Boston. If he continues to skate with a pivot as skilled as Krejci, Backes could make a run at 30 goals, a mark he hasn't hit since 2010-11.