In his return to action in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Lightning, Backes (leg) saw 15:18 worth of ice time, including 1:50 on the power play.

EDGE Analysis

In the process, Backes logged three shots and four hits, while working on the Bruins' third line with Danton Heinen and Riley Nash. Look for that trio to remain intact for the time being, with the Bruins coming off a big win and Jake DeBrusk (upper body) set to return to action Saturday against the Panthers, rounding out the team's second line along with Ryan Donato and David Krejci. It's possible that future injuries or lineup shuffling could lead to Backes moving up in the lineup, but for now the veteran power forward will see bottom-six work, along with some man-advantage opportunities for the team.