February 21st of this past season saw a trade go down that had many initially scratching their heads. The Boston Bruins dealt David Backes, defensive prospect Axel Andersson, and their 2020 first round pick to the Anaheim Ducks. In return, Boston acquired forward Ondrej Kase. At first glance, this seems like a steep overpay from the Bruins side of things.
Upon further digging, this deal is actually pretty even. David Backes was once a solid physical forward who could chip in 20 goals a season. However, he just isn’t that type of player anymore. Look no further than his demotion to the AHL without playing a game.