creative indeed

I think if you drop the 2nd you're getting it's more realistic....

Very creative but you forgot that Faulk has a NTC ... Pretty convinced the worst team in the league is on his 15 team no trade list.

Players waive NTC for various reasons all the time. Maybe the chance to start over (and move up the depth chart) is enough. Also the prospect of being bought out (and losing 1/3 of your massive salary) can be enticing enough to accept a trade.

Isn't STL his change of scenary though? He just signed a 7 year deal - what player expects to be traded before the deal even kicks in? That would be a bad look for STL and I can't imagine many players would be excited signing there if the management group gives up on them so easily.

A worse look is a team where a player towards the bottom of the depth chart takes up a large part of the cap hit. Thats a poor argument- It's a business, if a player is a poor fit for a team it's expected to trade them for a new player.

Faulk isnt leaving bud, sorry.

Bad deal for Detroit. They would just buy out Abdelkader themselves...

Blues should just accept the fact he may not be coming back. If he really wanted to stay with the team why did he not sign in October. I have a feeling he is gonna test the open market as he wants money. He got his cup, he got his ring, now he wants his final big contract and he is happy. In general the blues are better off letting him go as Parayko can easily become the #1RD, O'rielly can wear the C, and the blues can use the saved cap space elsewhere.

You may think he's towards the bottom of the depth chart, but he averaged 20:34 of ice time per game which is only behind Pietrangelo, Parayko, and Bouwmeester - and with Bouwmeester gone, his role only gets bigger. He's your number 3 defenseman in reality. The Blues will not trade him regardless of your perception of him.

Wings don't want Faulk any more than the Blues do. Beside Faulk can easily block any trade on his M NTC. Steen declines to waive his NTC in final NHL season.