Backes on a roll

Life seems good for ex-Maverick David Backes. He has a house in St. Louis. He's getting married. He's skating on a line with all-stars Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya. Well, about a month ago, things weren't so good. The word "Peoria" even came up. Read more about it in a story in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Meanwhile, teammate Steve Wagner seems to know the route between St. Louis and Peoria, Ill., all too well.