Three weeks after dangerous collision, David Backes & Scott Sabourin return to ice

Three weeks ago to the day, the mood at TD Garden sank from spirited to solemn in the span of a few frantic seconds.

The optics were terrifying, to say the least, as Ottawa’s Scott Sabourin lay motionless on the TD Garden ice — with the subsequent video replay validating everyone’s fears, with the Senators forward landing face-first on the sheet after colliding up high with David Backes.

Sabourin needed to be removed via stretcher, but Backes was far from unscathed. After Sabourin was taken off the ice, an emotional Backes headed down the tunnel and didn’t return. He has yet to play since then. 

Tabbed with an upper-body injury, it became fairly evident that Backes was set to sit out once again due to a concussion — in what stands as at least his fourth brain injury since joining the Bruins back in 2016. 

"Do the math," Bruce Cassidy said of Backes' injury following the game.

Sabourin, as expected, was also in rough shape following the hit — hospitalized after the fall while also suffering a fractured nose. But less than a month after the incident,



both Backes and Sabourin found themselves back on the ice Saturday. 

Sabourin practiced with his teammates while donning a regular contact sweater, while Backes skated with the main group at Warrior Ice Arena ahead of a matchup with the Minnesota Wild, albeit in a non-contact sweater. 

“Yeah, it’s good. It’s a scary situation obviously for both players there against Ottawa,” Cassidy said of Backes' return. He’s taking some time away from the rink and he’s kind of checking the boxes to get back into the lineup now. One of them is (to) get back out on the ice. So that’s step one.”

While Backes has taken the first steps towards getting back into game action, Cassidy was quick to note that there is no set timetable for Backes to return — given both the current structure of Boston’s lineup and Backes’ history when it comes to concussions. 

Add in the nature of traumatic brain injuries and the ways in which the recovery timetable can vary a great deal, and it looks as though the Bruins seem to be putting the ball in Backes’ court when it comes to determining whether this most recent injury is one too many. 

“This is an individual decision first,” Cassidy said of Backes’ recovery and expected return. "Then you talk to the team obviously to make sure however it’s done — (it’s done) properly. Because once you’ve had a few head injuries, you’ve got to be careful. 

“Our situation, we don’t need to rush anybody back right now, no matter who it is. Especially in this situation. Yes, we’re being as careful as we need to be along with the individual's consent. That’s where it’s at. So I couldn’t even tell you what the next (step is) —until you see him in a practice jersey, which I don’t know when that'll be yet. That’s something for probably down the road.”

Last November, speaking a few weeks after suffering a concussion following a hit from Edmonton's Matt Benning, Backes gave his thoughts on when the volume of brain injuries might outweigh the desire to keep playing professional hockey.

“I’ve done some research,” Backes said. “I don’t know if there’s a direct link between 14 (concussions) or seven or two is when all of a sudden you’re degenerating or getting your tau proteins in your head to start developing CTE. I think there’s not enough evidence yet. With that being said, not getting to that magic number is certainly something that I’d like to avoid.”