St. Louis Blues Acquire Justin Faulk

Just when you probably thought the defending Stanley Cup champions St. Louis Blues couldn't upgrade their team because they have limited cap space they found a way to accomplish an upgrade. The Blues traded defenseman Joel Edmundson, prospect Dominik Bokk, and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes for All-Star defenseman Justin Faulk, and a 2020 fifth-round pick. Faulk, 27, then signed a seven-year contract extension with the Blues worth $45.5 million. Faulk had been in trade rumors recently because he was in the final year of a six-year contract. The rumors became bigger after the Hurricanes free agent signing of defenseman Jake Gardiner on September 6, 2019.

Last season, Faulk played in all 82 games with 11 goals, 24 assists, 35 points, and a plus 9. For defenseman on the Hurricanes the 35 points ranked second. Faulk helped play a big role in the Hurricanes going to the Eastern Conference Final. In the playoffs, Faulk played in 15 games with 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points, and a plus 4. That was Faulk's first time ever in the playoffs.

Overall, Faulk has played 8 seasons in the NHL. Faulk has played in 559 games with 85 goals, 173 assists, 258 points, and a -100. Faulk has been a three-time NHL All-Star (2015, 2016, 2017). In the last 5 seasons among NHL defensemen Faulk ranks 7th in goals, 4th in powerplay goals, 4th in game winning goals, and 25th in points.

As for Joel Edmundson, he's a good return for the Hurricanes. Edmundson, 26, has shown some flashes that he can be good. Last season, Edmundson played in 64 games with 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points, and a plus 8. Overall, Edmundson has played 4 seasons in the NHL. Edmundson has played in 269 games with 13 goals, 39 assists, 52 points, and a plus 18. In the playoffs, Edmundson has played in 49 games with 5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points, and a plus 6.

Dominik Bokk, 19, was drafted by the Blues in the first-round of the 2018 NHL draft (overall no.25). Bokk can play both right wing and left wing Bokk hasn't played in the NHL yet.


What played a role into the Blues traded Edmundson for Faulk? Edmundson will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. The Blues probably wouldn't have kept Edmundson. Alex Pietrangelo the Blues captain will be an unrestricted free agent too. The Blues will want to keep Pietrangelo over Edmundson. If for whatever reason the Blues aren't able to keep Pietrangelo then Faulk is serves as insurance if he were to leave the Blues. There's a possibility of other players being gone to try to clear space too.

In the end Faulk makes the Blues team a lot better. Will the Blues end up repeating as Stanley Cup champions? The Blues have a great chance to repeat if they can stay healthy and play well. If they do they would be the first NHL team to repeat since Pittsburgh Penguins did so in 2015-2016, and 2016-2017. Today was a nice birthday for Blues general manager Doug Armstrong.

St. Louis Blues Sign Ivan Barbashev

The St. Louis Blues have signed center Ivan Barbashev to a two-year contract worth $2.95 million. Barbashev, 23, had a career year in his 3rd NHL season in 2018-2019. Barbashev played in 80 games scoring 14 goals with 12 assists, 26 points, and -4. In the Blues run to the Stanley Cup, Barbashev scored 3 goals with 3 assists, and 6 points. He led all skaters with 87 hits in the playoffs. Barbashev is a key piece to the Blues penalty kill. Last season, Barbashev averaged 1:35 minutes shorthanded.

Overall, Barbashev has played 3 seasons in the NHL. Barbashev has played in 163 games with 26 goals, 25 assists, and 51 points. In the playoffs, Barbashev has played 31 games with 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points, and a -1.

It's great that the Blues finally got Barbashev under contract. There had been rumors that Barbashev was considering going over to play in KHL over in Russia. It's good that the Blues 4th line will all be back for the up coming season. Barbashev was on a line most of the time with Oskar Sundqvist, and Alexander Steen. For a player like Barbashev the Blues got a nice steal.

St. Louis Blues Sign Oskar Sundqvist

The St. Louis Blues and center Oskar Sundqvist have avoided arbitration and signed a four-year contract worth $11 million. Sundqvist, 25, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 3rd round of the 2012 NHL draft (81st overall). Sundqvist didn't show much with the Penguins, when he made his NHL debut in 2015-2016. Sundqvist played in 18 games with 1 goal, 3 assists, and 4 points. The next season, Sundqvist only played in 10 games.

After the 2016-2017 season, the Penguins traded Sundqvist and their first-round pick to the St. Louis Blues for right wing Ryan Reaves and a second-round pick. Sundqvist saw a new career high 42 games in 2017-2018 with 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points, and a -5. Fans kind of wondered why the Blues even traded for him. People seemed to want him traded. People forgot he was still young and had potential to be a good player if he got the chance. That's what happened finally in 2018-2019. Sundqvist played a career high 74 games with 14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points, and a -1. All of those were career highs for Sundqvist.

Sundqvist helped the Blues win their first ever Stanley Cup in franchise history. During the postseason run, Sundqvist played in 25 games with 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points, and a plus 5. Sundqvist has become a great penalty killer for the Blues.

Overall, Sundqvist has played 4 seasons in the NHL. Sundqvist has played 144 games with 16 goals, 24 assists, 40 points, and a -10. In the playoffs, Sundqvist has played 27 games with 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points, and a plus 5.

The Blues kept Sundqvist at a great price. Hopefully, Sundqvist can continue to have the success he had in the 2018-2019 season.

St. Louis Blues Sign Jordan Binnington

The St. Louis Blues and goalie Jordan Binnington have avoided arbitration and signed a two-year contract worth $8.8 million. Binnington and the Blues had been scheduled to go to arbitration on July 20, 2019. Binnington, 26, helped lead the Blues to their first Stanley Cup victory in franchise history. Binnington set a rookie record for the most wins in a single postseason with 16 win. The previous record was 15 set by Patrick Roy. Ron Hextall, Cam Ward, and Matt Murray all tied Roy with 15. Binnington for the playoffs had a .914 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.46.

On the regular season, Binnington went 24-5-1 in 32 games with a save percentage of .927 and a goals-against average of 1.89. Binnington won Rookie of the Month in back-to-back months, February and March. Binnington ended up being named to the All-Rookie Team.

The 2019-2020 season will be Binnington's first full season starting in the NHL. Fans will wonder if Binnington is a one year wonder or if he's for real. It seems like right now that Binnington is for real and a late bloomer. To start last season, Binnington was the Blues third string goalie.

St. Louis Blues Re-Sign Carl Gunnarsson

The St. Louis Blues have re-signed defenseman Carl Gunnarsson to a two-year contract worth $3.5 million ($1.75 million for both seasons). Gunnarsson, 32, could have been a free agent on July 1, 2019 and probably would have made more money on the free agent market. Instead, Gunnarsson chose to stay with the Blues.

Gunnarsson even helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup for their fist time in franchise history. A big part of it was in game 2 in Boston on May 29, 2019. The Blues and Boston Bruins went into overtime tied 2-2. Gunnarsson scored the game winning goal with Ryan O'Rielly, and Oskar Sundqvist getting the assists. That was the Blues first ever win in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Gunnarsson played in 25 games last season due to injuries but still did well getting 3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points and was a plus 8. Gunnarsson has been with the Blues since June 28, 2014 when the Toronto Maple Leafs traded him and a 4th round draft pick in the 2014 NHL draft to the Blues for defenseman Roman Polak.

Overall, Gunnarsson has played 10 seasons in the NHL. Gunnarsson has played in 581 games with 28 goals, 101 assists, 129,  and is a plus 49. In the playoffs, Gunnarsson has played 62 games with 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points, and is a plus 4.

Gunnarsson might not be a big name to people but he's proven to be a reliable and solid defenseman in the NHL. It's a good move by the Blues to keep him. You can tell Gunnarsson enjoys playing in St. Louis.

Matt Carpenter Signs Contract Extension With St. Louis Cardinals

On Monday afternoon the St. Louis Cardinals signed third baseman Matt Carpenter to a two-year contract extension worth $39 million with a vesting option for 2022. The vesting option is worth $18.5 million. The $18.5 million was the option on Carpenter's six-year contract worth $52 million that he signed on March 6, 2014. It vests if Carpenter reaches 1,100 plate appearances over the first two seasons. Carpenter, 33, has been with the Cardinals since 2011.

Overall, Carpenter has played 9 in the in the MLB. He's played 1,031 games with 660 runs, 1,007 hits, 268 doubles, 25 triples, 134 home runs, 488 rbi's, 19 stolen bases, 585 walks, and a .273 batting average. Carpenter has been an All-Star three times (2013, 2014, 2016). Carpenter won a Silver Slugger Award in 2013. In 2013, Carpenter had a career best .318 batting average with a career high 126 runs scored, a career high 199 hits, and a career high 55 doubles. Before that happened, Carpenter had 55 doubles, the most by a left-handed hitter in franchise history belonged to Stan Musial from 1953 with 53 doubles. Last season Carpenter his a career high 36 home runs, with 81 rbi's.

An interesting thing about Matt Carpenter is that he's one of the best leadoff hitters in the MLB and he doesn't have speed. Coming into the 2019 season, since 2016 Carpenter's OBP (on base percentage) is .382. That OBP ranks 13th best. Since Carpenter started leading off full-time in 2013, has a .391 OBP. His slugging percentage is .486. He has a OPS of .877.

Carpenter has made a nice career since being drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the June draft in 2009. Not many late round draft picks do well. It's a win for both sides to keep Carpenter around. Carpenter loves St. Louis and loves putting on the Cardinals uniform. He can retire as a Cardinal. This also gives time for prospects to develop in the Cardinals minors (Nolan Gorman, Elehuris Montero, Malcom Nunez). 

Jay Bouwmeester Signs Extension With St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues have signed veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to a one-year contract extension worth $3.25 million. Bouwmeester, 35, a few months ago looked like his career might be finished. Bouwmeester had dealt with a hip injury in 2017-2018 and ended up needing season ending surgery. He started 2018-2019 slow, but he ended up playing some of his best hockey in a long time. That's because Bouwmeester was finally healthy. Hip injuries can be hard to comeback from.

Bouwmeester ended up playing 78 games, the most games in played since he played 81 in 2016-2017. He had 3 goals with 14 assists, and 17 points. That's best point total since 2015-2016 when he had 19 points. Bouwmeester has helped mentor teammate Colton Parayko.

Bouwmeester is also nominated for an award. He's nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given to the player who "best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." One player from each team is nominated for the award and then given to the winner in June at the NHL Awards. That's after it's narrowed down to three finalists.

Overall, Bouwmeester has played 16 seasons in the NHL. He's played 1,184 games with 87 goals, 328 assists, 415 points, and is a -23. Since joining the Blues, Bouwmeester is a plus 42.

It's a good contract for both sides and it doesn't hurt the Blues at all. Bouwmeester earned it too. At times you reward your players for doing well. Bouwmeester also loves playing in St. Louis. You want guys who want to be here and help a team. Bouwmeester is one of those players. Even though he got lots of hate by fans, but the truth is he wasn't really healthy. Bouwmeester himself was upset about his play. It's nice to see Bouwmeester finally healthy. He can still play 21+ minutes a night. That's bargain at his new salary.