sentences:  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 season.Following his first NHL training camp in September 2006, Backes was reassigned 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.