Breaking: Bruins' Backes and his $6 M salary are healthy scratches tonight!

David Backes won't take part in the action tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

He isn't hurt or sick, he is simply the odd man out. 

The Boston Bruin will have to do without their $6 million winger, since head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed after the morning skate that Backes will be a healthy scratch tonight. 

With four goals and 12 points in 38 games to date, Backes hasn't been producing on a level in line with his annual salary cap hit. It still is a lot of money sitting in a box and doing nothing for the team... 

The 34-year-old veteran, who is known to bring experience and leadership to the dressing room, signed a five-year contract with the Bruins prior to the 2016-17 season, a contract that pays him $6 million annually through the 2020-21 season. He’s scored just once in his last 14 games played.

It made sense though with Jake DeBrusk and Chris Wagner playing tonight. As pointed out by Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic , "the Bruins will have 13 forwards, the latest addition being Peter Cehlarik via Providence. The 23-year-old earned his first NHL promotion of the season partly because of his hot streak: five goals and two assists in his last four AHL games."

“I just think the pace is fast for him right now,” Cassidy said of Backes after Monday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. “He’s got to find what plays can he make and find his awareness around him. ‘What can I do to make a play, and when do I have to put it in an area because I don’t have time?’ I think that’s the challenge for him right now, especially with these teams that buzz around.”

Maybe some time in the press box will do Backes some good... Who knows?