David Backes David Anthony Backes ( born May 1 , 1984 ) is an American professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the St . Louis Blues of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . After two seasons of junior with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League , Backes was selected 62nd overall by the Blues in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft . Following his draft , he joined the Minnesota State Mavericks of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association , spending three seasons in the college hockey ranks . Foregoing his senior year with the Mavericks , he turned professional with the Blues , joining their American Hockey League affiliate , the Peoria Rivermen . Midway through the 2006 – 07 season , Backes was called up to the NHL and secured a roster spot with the Blues . Following his fifth season with St . Louis , he was chosen as team captain . Internationally , Backes represents the United States . He is a one - time Olympian , winning silver at the 2010 Games in Vancouver , and has played in three IIHF World Championships . Playing career . High school . Backes played three seasons of prep hockey with Spring Lake Park High School in Spring Lake Park , Minnesota , graduating in 2002 . As a senior , he was named All - Conference , All - Metro , All - State and was a finalist for the 2002 Minnesota Mr . Hockey award . He was joined on the Star Tribune ' s All - Metro First Team with future college teammate , Travis Morin . His number 5 has been retired by the school and hangs at Fogerty Arena in Blaine , Minnesota . Junior / College . After spending parts of two years in junior hockey with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL , Backes was selected in the second round , 62nd overall by the St . Louis Blues in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft . Prior to joining the Blues , he played three seasons of college hockey at Minnesota State University , Mankato , where he was named to the 2005 - 06 Men ’ s RBK Division I West All - America Second Team and the 2005 - 06 ESPN The Magazine Academic All - America First Team . Immediately after his third and final college season , he was signed by the Blues and assigned to the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL for the final 12 games of the 2005 – 06 AHL season . Professional . Following his first NHL training camp in September 2006 , Backes was re - assigned to the Rivermen , remaining in the AHL for the start of the 2006 – 07 season . Several months into the campaign , he was called up by the Blues and played his first NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 19 , 2006 . Forty - four seconds into the game , Backes registered his first NHL point , a second - assist on a Doug Weight goal , giving the Blues a 1 – 0 lead . St . Louis went on to win the game 4 – 1 , while Backes recorded 10 minutes of ice time . The following game two days later , Backes scored his first NHL goal 10 minutes and 47 seconds into the first period versus the Los Angeles Kings . The goal came on a backhand shot past Kings goaltender Dan Cloutier , helping the Blues to a 5 – 2 win . A month into his initial stint with the Blues , he was re - assigned to the Rivermen on January 21 , 2007 , for three days , after which he was recalled . Spending the remainder of the season with St . Louis , he completed his rookie season with 23 points ( 10 goals and 13 assists ) in 49 games , while also recording 13 points ( 10 goals and 3 assists ) in 31 games with Peoria . Among NHL rookies who had played at least half the season , Backes ranked 13th in points - per - game at . 47 . In 2007 – 08 , he completed his first full season in the NHL , improving to 31 points ( 13 goals and 18 assists ) . Becoming a restricted free agent in the off - season , Backes signed a three - year , US $ 7 . 5 million offer sheet with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1 , 2008 . The Blues quickly matched the offer , keeping Backes in St . Louis through the 2010 – 11 season . With a new contract , Backes tallied 54 points , including a career - high 31 goals , in 2008 - 09 , finishing second behind winger Brad Boyes among Blues scorers . He added 165 penalty minutes while playing in all 82 games for the first time in his career . During the season , he scored a career - high four goals on April 2 , 2009 , in a 5 - 4 win over the Detroit Red Wings . Backes ' efforts helped the Blues reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004 . Matching up against the Vancouver Canucks in the first round , the Blues were swept in four games . Backes recorded a goal and two assists in that span . In 2009 - 10 , Backes ' offensive production decreased to 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points in 79 games . Following the retirement of Keith Tkachuk in the off - season , Backes took on the role of the alternate captain for 2010 – 11 , the last season of his contract . A month into the campaign , on November 12 , 2010 , Backes signed a five - year , $ 22 . 5 million contract extension , keeping him with St . Louis through the 2015 - 16 season . Leading the Blues in scoring midway through the season , he was named to his first NHL All - Star Game in 2011 . As the NHL adopted a draft to determine the teams for the first year , Backes was by Team Staal 33rd overall among 36 players . He recorded three assists in a losing effort , as Team Lidstrom won 11 – 10 . Backes completed the season matching his personal best total of 31 goals , while adding 31 assists for a career - high and team - leading 62 points over 82 games . With a + 32 rating , Backes came within one point of the NHL Plus - Minus Award , behind Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara . Late in the 2010 – 11 season , Blues captain Eric Brewer had been traded away to the Tampa Bay Lightning , leaving the leadership position vacant for the remainder of the campaign . During the off - season , on September 9 , 2011 , Backes was chosen to succeed Brewer , becoming the 20th captain in team history . International play . Following his rookie NHL season , Backes was named to the United States ' national team for the 2007 IIHF World Championship . He played in 7 games contributing a goal , 2 assists and 6 penalty minutes , as the U . S . finished in 5th place . He again suited up for Team USA at the 2008 IIHF World Championship , contributing an assist and 35 penalty minutes over 6 games as the U . S . finished 6th . Competing for a third consecutive year at the World Championships in 2009 , Backes registering a goal and 4 assists in 9 games . The U . S . placed 4th , losing to Sweden 4 - 2 in the bronze medal game . On January 1 , 2011 , Backes was named to the United States ' roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver . He recorded a goal and two assists over six games , helping the United States to the gold medal game . They were defeated 3 - 2 by Canada in overtime , earning silver .