Backes hired a figure skating coach this summer, he told Joe McDonald of The Athletic.

EDGE Analysis

Last season was Backes' worst season by a significant margin, including being scratched during the last three games of the Stanley Cup Final. He has struggled to keep up with the speed of today's game, so hiring a skating coach is a good move for the 13-year veteran. Backes will stick in the bottom six with the Bruins, but his fantasy relevance is long gone.