5 Players New Jersey Devils Should Not Acquire From Salary Cap Strapped Teams

Justin Faulk

The St. Louis Blues must have a case of buyer’s remorse after not only trading for Justin Faulk, but for extending his services for seven seasons at a $6.5 million AAV. Faulk was more of a luxury than a need for the Blues, and giving him a monster contract will put the reigning Stanley Cup Champions in a precarious position this off-season.

The Blues now must find a way to sign star defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Vince Dunn, who will both command big raises. If the Blues are fortunate enough to sign one of them, or somehow even retain both, they are going to have to sever ties with a very good player on the team.

Now, Justin Faulk is a very talented defenseman. He had a solid career in Carolina prior to getting dealt to St. Louis. However, an offensive minded right-sided defenseman playing on the same team as Damon Severson and P.K. Subban makes little sense.

Faulk’s Corsi numbers over the course of his career suggests that his teams are better 5v5 with him on the ice, however that number dropped dramatically this past season. It is mind boggling to think because the Blues are the best team he’s been on in his career. Also, his career 44.9% of defensive zone starts suggest his coaches don’t trust him entirely in his team’s own end. Faulk may need time to get adjusted to St. Louis or possibly needs a change of scenery, but his contract alone should prevent the Devils from acquiring him.