It was announced today defenseman Justin Faulk has been traded to the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, who then signed the All-Star defenseman to a seven-year extension.
The deal is worth $45.5 million (annual average value of $6.5 million). Talk about a high-price tag!
The Blues traded defenseman Joel Edmundson and prospect Dominik Bokk to Faulk’s former team, the Carolina Hurricanes, as well as a seventh-round pick in 2021 NHL draft. Along with signing Faulk, the Blues also received a fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft.
The trade itself doesn’t come as much of a surprise as Faulk entered the final season of his six-year contract with the Hurricanes, with rumors circulating that Hurricanes were shopping around.
Faulk signed to Carolina after being selected during the second round in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Faulk was integral to the Hurricanes ascent to the Eastern Conference Final last year. He posted one goal and seven assists for the Hurricanes in 15 playoff games on top of ranking second amongst defenders in the club, with 35 points and a plus-9 rating.
"We are excited to add Justin to our core group for the next eight years," Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. "He's a Top-4 defenseman who averages over 23 minutes a game and we are confident he will be a strong addition to our club."
Even with the hefty paycheck, Blues fans seem to be pleased with the trade, taking to Twitter to praise Armstrong.
It’ll be interesting to see what Faulk’s addition to Blues lineup will mean for the Blackhawks when the two rivals come face to face this season in December.
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