Healed and healthy, Justin Faulk looks forward to added responsibility in Blues defense

The Blues expect a different Justin Faulk to patrol the St.

Louis blue line.

So does Justin Faulk.

After a season marred by injuries, Faulk returns this fall healthy free from ankle and shoulder ailments that plagued him down the stretch in 2023-24 and ready to take on perhaps his biggest role since arriving in St.

Louis in the fall of 2019.

This season, Faulk will be asked to play with a new partner (Torey Krug has been lost for the season due to ankle surgery) and is the top candidate to run the No.

1 power-play unit (also because Krug is out).

Im pretty aware of when I play well and when I dont, Faulk said.

I have a standard that I have internally that I think I can play at and an expectation.

Its just play hard, be hard to play against, make things happen and I know my games still there, and Im not too concerned about getting back to it.

Faulk finished last season with 30 points (two goals and 28 assists) across 60 games, his worst per-game output since 2019-20, his first season in St.

Louis, when he mustered just 16 points in 69 games.

His ice time dipped by about a minute and a half per game.

He missed about a quarter of the season dealing with injuries.

With Justin, what I can tell you about him and what we missed last year is just the leadership qualities, not only in the dressing room but on the ice, Blues coach Drew Bannister said.

That goes a long way with our group.

Play-wise, we know who he is as a player.

Hes an important player for us.

It was difficult when we didnt have him last year.

Faulk said his ankle flared up on him three times last season.

Once was a minor issue around Christmas.

The big one was in the final minute of a loss to Colorado on Dec.

29, when his leg got caught under his body during an awkward fall, leading to him missing five games.

Then he suffered a setback in Calgary on Jan.

23, forcing him out for another dozen.

The Blues didnt see Faulk on the ice again after April 6, when he suffered a shoulder injury.

His last play of the season was a fight with San Joses Luke Kunin, and Faulk missed the last five games of the season.

With a lot of athletes, theres a little bit of an ego thing that gets involved that you want to try and get out there and help your team, Faulk said.

Sometimes, to be honest, its maybe at the detriment of yourself and possibly the team if youre not playing well enough or if youre not healthy enough.

In his first attempt to return to the lineup after the injury vs.

Colorado, Faulk was on the ice for 10 of the 16 goals that Blues allowed.

Im not trying to make excuses or anything.

I wasnt 100% from just before Christmas on, Faulk said.

My ankle, I had probably three different times that something came up with it.

It was tough.

Its good to not be dealing with it now, Ill tell you that.

Faulk rested his body over the summer and allowed it to heal.

Last year, it just wasnt ready to be where it needed to be for me to play my game, he said, but he's pain-free now.

Faulk is no stranger to running a power play, but he hasnt had to be the No.

1 option since arriving in St.

Louis.

Sometimes, he wasnt even the No.

2 candidate.

He overlapped one year with Alex Pietrangelo, and then Krug arrived to direct the top unit.

Some years, Vince Dunn averaged more power-play time than Faulk.

Other years, Scott Perunovich got more work on a per-game basis, even if he was in the lineup less consistently.

In Carolina, though, Faulk was the top option.

Across his last three years as a Hurricane, no player had more power-play time than Faulk, and of course, no Carolina player had as many shot attempts or shots on goal with the man advantage, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Power play is a big responsibility, and I get to play with some pretty good players if Im going to go out there with those guys, Faulk said.

I think I can do it.

Im not scared of the opportunity again.

Last year, the Blues power play ranked 24th in the league (18%), which was actually remarkable considering they were the second-worst unit in the NHL (8.4%) when Craig Berube was fired 28 games into the season.

From then until the end of the season, the Blues power play ranked 13th (22.8%), in part thanks to Jake Neighbours emergence at the net front and a more downhill approach that resulted in more pucks in high-danger areas.

It took us a while last year to get it going, and there was times there was probably some games sitting there for us that if we could have potted one on the power play, it could have gone the other way, Faulk said.

It put us in a different spot.

Every night is not going to be 2 for 5, 2 for 3, whatever it is.

But you have to create momentum.

You have to bring some energy to the group.

You want to get scoring chances and, at a minimum, not be getting shut down all night.

Faulk is also likely to be playing with new acquisition Philip Broberg, a 6-3 left-hander plucked from Edmonton via offer sheet over the summer.

To be honest, I knew nothing about him, Faulk said.

The way he moves, hes a big skater for how big he is.

He takes up space.

Looks to make plays, too, so its nice.

Im sure hes getting comfortable in the new setting and new teammates.

Early impressions are hes a good player, hes a good skater.

Thats a good start in this league, especially the way it is today.

If you can get around the ice well, get your head up, make plays, should be able to figure it out, I think.

With a healthy body, a new partner and more responsibility, perhaps Faulk is on track to do the same.

My confidence hasnt changed, Faulk said.

Im healthy, I feel good.

I know what I can do in this league..

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