Combined, Trent Frederic and David Backes have logged a combined 898 games at the NHL level.
Alright, let’s revise that — David Backes has played in 898 games across 13 campaigns. Trent Frederic, a fresh-faced rookie, is set to lace up his skates for the first time in Boston Tuesday night against the Jets.
Their respective tenures in the NHL might vary by over a decade, but both Backes and Frederic have plenty of history together — although Frederic isn’t one to bring it up to one of the elder statesmen of the Boston’s locker room.
“I try not to be too starstruck to him,” Frederic said. “I’m sure he kind of has a clue.”
During his rookie season with the Blues, Backes usually found himself in a bit of an odd routine. Already dressed in full gear just prior to warmups, the Minnesota State product had to make a quick stop in the hallway for a photo with a young fan — selected ahead of every home game.
Backes took many a photo op during that season, so it can be tough to remember all the various faces and young hockey players he met during that ill-timed promotion.
Fair to say, he’d never think that one of those youngsters would eventually skate on the same line with him up at the NHL level.
"I think he was nine when I took that picture,” Backes said of taking a photo with a nine-year-old Frederic back in 2007. “It was like a Great Clips thing that after we got dressed, I had to go take a picture with some kid. He was one of the kids for one of those games. From then to 12 years later, playing on a line with the kid, that’s a small world. It’s pretty cool and hopefully that storyline continues with a good night together for his first game."
That brief snapshot was not the only time that Frederic met with Backes during his rookie year with the Blues. Part of a talented class of young skaters based out of St. Louis alongside both
Matthew
and
Brady Tkachuk
, Frederic was at
Keith Tkachuk
’s home when he once again ran into Backes — who lived there while trying to establish his roots in the area.
“He played mini hockey and knee hockey and that’s kind of how I first got introduced to him,” Frederic recalled. “And then he built a name for himself.”
As Backes eventually ascended to the role of captain with the Blues and Frederic’s stock rose as a top-flight NHL prospect, their paths continued to cross — with Backes and his wife, Kelly, at one point considering an opportunity to buy the Frederics' house in the St. Louis area when it was on the market.
“I know his father, know of him, obviously being a prominent player from St. Louis," Backes said. "To get to share the ice for his first game, play on a line together, there’s a lot of emotions, and a lot of stuff, just trying to contain yourself and enjoy the game. He’s a good kid, a good head on his shoulders.”
For Frederic,
between Backes and
Danton Heinen
Tuesday — it’s one thing to battle the butterflies that come with your NHL debut. It’s another to play alongside a pro that you admired growing up. Frederic gravitated to Backes during the latter’s 10 seasons with the Blues — modeling his play style after the physical, two-way pivot.
“I think he’s a big kid, no question,” Backes said of comparing his current play style to Frederic. “I think we’ve got size in common and he’s played in center ice, which I did earlier in my career. Him being a lefty, we do see the game the same way — where it’s outwork your opponent, be stronger, win more battles and have the opportunity and quantity and the law of averages will pay off in the long run. He does have this thing where he shoots five-hole every time. I don’t know where he got that, because I don’t know if I’ve ever intentionally shot five-hole before.”
Looking back at that 2006-07 campaign, Backes was in a similar position that Frederic is currently in — the new guy in a room filled with established veterans, many that he likely has admired over the years. Now, on the other side of the coin, the veteran winger will look to play his part in helping a once aspiring fan string together some solid shifts out on the TD Garden ice.
“Tkachuk, Billy Guerin, Doug Weight, Dallas Drake,” Backes said of the Blues 2006-07 locker room.. “You just sat there and were like, these were the guys I watched on Team USA, World Cups, all these things growing up, and now I’m in the same locker room with them. ... Maybe this an opportunity to pay that forward a little bit.”
