The Justin Faulk Question: Keep the Veteran or Cash In?

The St. Louis Blues sit at 8-10-7 and find themselves 7th in the Central Division and 7th in the Western Conference Wild Card race heading into December. With playoff odds slipping and the organization increasingly caught between retooling and competing, the question resurfaces each winter: Is it time to move one of the veteran defensemen?

And more specifically, does moving Justin Faulk make sense right now? The answer is complicated, but the picture is becoming clearer.

Faulk’s Season: Steady, But No Longer Impactful Enough to Rule Out a Move

Justin Faulk, now 33, is still logging meaningful minutes and playing in all situations — PP2, PK1, top-four usage — and he remains one of the team’s leaders in total minutes. His updated line through 25 games:

• GP: 25
• G/A/PTS: 6 / 7 / 13
• PPG: 0.52
• 5v5 TOI: 19:22 per game
• PP TOI: 2:03
• PK TOI: 1:17
• G/60: 0.39
• P/60: 0.65
• GF%: 48.6
• xGF%: 50.0
• Rel xGF%: +1.0
• CF%: 47.0
• Rel CF%: -0.6
• Pen Diff: +5
• Off-zone start %: 57%

What These Numbers Show: Justin Faulk Is Not Hurting the Blues, but He’s No Longer Driving Play

When you combine Faulk’s tracking data, his possession impacts, and his defensive outputs over the past two seasons, a consistent picture emerges: Faulk is not hurting the Blues, but he’s no longer the engine he once was, either.

His isolated defensive metrics have leveled off into “adequate but unspectacular” territory. He’s still capable of handling middle-pairing assignments, but the days of him pushing positive shot-share swings or tilting the expected-goals battle are fading. Even his former offensive zone threat calling card has settled into more predictable, low-event contributions. None of this means he’s a liability but he has shifted into a stabilizer role rather than a play-driving one.

This is where the broader picture matters. If Faulk were surrounded by a Stanley Cup-contending, veteran-heavy blue line, staying the course would be simple. But the Blues are shaping their next defensive identity around a younger core, and that changes the conversation dramatically.

The Organizational Context: Who’s Behind Him?

The Blues have invested heavily in their defensive future, and the next wave is inching closer to full-time NHL roles. Logan Mailloux has taken significant strides showing flashes of the puck-moving, physical presence the organization believes he can become. 

Theo Lindstein continues to project as a modern two-way defender who can log dependable minutes. Even Matthew Kessel provides a viable depth option, while Hunter Skinner’s steady progression offers yet another internal competitor.

This matters because the Blues will soon need to clear minutes and opportunity for these players to develop properly. If Faulk occupies a top-four role by default, the path for younger, cheaper, and upward-trending pieces becomes more complicated. The question then becomes whether Faulk is useful but it’s whether he is blocking or bridging the future.

Where He Still Provides Value

Despite declining play-driving results, Faulk still offers several meaningful strengths the organization can lean on.

He remains an intelligent defender who reads pressure well and rarely makes catastrophic mistakes. His transition defense, while not elite, is steady enough to help facilitate clean exits when paired with a more mobile partner. He continues to bring a physical, competitive edge that younger defenders often take years to develop.

He also still soaks up difficult matchups. Even if he no longer tilts the ice, he plays honest minutes against quality opponents and stabilizes the defensive structure. Coaches trust him, and that reliability is not easily replaced by first- or second-year defensemen.

Finally, Faulk’s ability to handle both special-teams units adds situational value. He may not quarterback a power play anymore, but he can still contribute on the second unit while playing dependable penalty-kill minutes.

All of this supports the idea that Faulk still has a meaningful role—just not necessarily the one he’s had for the past five years.

Contract Reality

Faulk has this season and next remaining on his contract. That shorter window gives the Blues flexibility: they are no longer staring at a long-term anchor; instead, they’re managing a two-year runway.

Because his deal expires right as Lindstein, Mailloux, and potentially Skinner are pushing for bigger roles, the timing aligns more cleanly than it once did.

So… Should the Blues Trade Him?

Here’s the realistic verdict:

The Blues do not need to trade Justin Faulk—but the door should be open if the right offer appears.

Faulk no longer drives play, and he isn’t likely to regain that form. But he also isn’t dragging the team down. He’s a competent, stable veteran whose presence benefits a young and evolving blue line.

If a contender comes calling, the Blues should listen—especially if the return includes futures that align with the organization’s reset timeline. But unless that type of offer materializes, there is no urgency to move him. Keeping him through the end of his contract provides stability while the next wave develops, and it avoids forcing Mailloux or Lindstein prematurely into roles they aren’t ready for.

Final verdict:

Faulk is no longer a long-term core piece, but he remains a perfectly viable bridge. Trade him only if the value is strong—not because the team is desperate to move on.