MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — Since he left his native Czechia and then the Ontario Hockey League in 2013-14, all Radek Faksa knew was Texas.
The 30-year-old was the 12th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Dallas Stars and has been a Stars lifer, playing the past nine seasons and achieving plenty of success with a franchise that’s had some really good Stanley Cup playoff runs.
So why would a player want to leave that? Under normal circumstances, one wouldn’t leave a winning organization. And if they were somehow moved out, it would come as a surprise.
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Well according to Faksa, who the Stars traded to the Blues on July 2 for future considerations, the deal wasn’t a shock. In fact, he was expecting it.
“I was talking to (Stars general manager) Jim Nill after the season and I kind of told him I’m not happy with my ice time and stuff like that,” Faksa said Friday at training camp. “I’m looking forward to a new challenge. I thought it would be good for my future. I’m happy in St. Louis. I kind of knew, I just didn’t know where it would be. I wasn’t surprised at all.”
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When Faksa, who has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 74 regular-season games and one goal — a big one — on eight postseason games last season, broke into the NHL in 2015-16, he was averaging 12:21 ice time as a 21-year-old. By 2016-17 through 2022-23, Faksa was playing anywhere from 15-18 minutes per game, peaking at 17:26 per game in 2020-21.
But the ice time had dipped to 12:31 last season, falling to a career-low 11:55 last season. Something had to give and the Stars moved Faksa and the remaining year left on a contract that pays him $3.25 million average annual value.
St. Louis was interested.
“I think the chemistry of the team and I can feel the trust from the team that they wanted me here and it’s really important for me,” Faksa said. “I talked to everyone. Camp just started so obviously I will talk to them even more. So far, I’m really happy here. The city is amazing, the group of guys is really good, lots of talent here. I can’t complain. I’m happy here so far. I can’t wait for the regular season to start.”
In one sense, it was easy to leave Dallas to pursue more opportunity. On the other hand, it’s hard to leave behind a team touted again as a Stanley Cup contender for one that has been in the past and is striving to get there again.
“Yeah, I’ve been there since the draft,” Faksa said of Dallas. “I’ve been there 12 years, right? Nine years in the NHL, couple years in the AHL. It was my second home. I’ve been there almost half of my life. It’s hard to leave, but I’m here to play hockey and do what’s best for my future.
“They still have a really good team and they will probably be at the top of the league again, but we are really close three times, Stanley Cup finalist, last two times conference finalist. We could go either way and it didn’t happen obviously. It would have been nice to lift the Cup. Now need to turn the page and be excited about a new team and help the Blues get to the playoffs again.”
The Blues have something Faksa said they had in Dallas: a good mixture of veterans that are the core of the group and some exciting young players that fill the gaps of consistency, and Faksa (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) brings an ingredient the Blues need.
“Exactly. It kind of reminds me of Dallas too. The mixture of the guys,” Faksa said. “The core of the team is older guys with lots of experience and mixture of talented guys, young, talented guys. We have great goalies.
“I think what I’ve been my whole career so far. Two-way centerman, I’ve got a big body. I can play physical as well. I need to be strong around the net, be strong on the PK, on the draws. Those are my challenges to bring to the team.”
Although Drew Bannister said lines can change, it’s evident the Blues coach is giving an early look at Faksa between two other newcomers: Dylan Holloway and Mathieu Joseph.
“Just watching him and how he goes through his daily routine and out on the ice, he’s a real pro,” Bannister said of Faksa. “He’s going to lead the way.
“Just watching some of those lines with Holloway and Joseph and him, they drive a lot of play. They can all skate, they play a heavy game, they’re big bodies. Certainly that’s going to be a part of our identity. We wanted to get quicker, we wanted to get heavier, we wanted to be more physical and conditioning’s going to be one of our big parts. We want to go at teams shift by shift and with the group that we have, with four lines, I think we’re going to be able to skate pretty well and we can make it difficult on teams.”
The Blues aren’t on anyone’s radar — yet — as a potential Western Conference foe that can knock one of the top eight from last year’s playoffs out of their spot, but this veteran said with the way the roster is constructed and the leadership he feels he can provide in helping lead the way, there’s no reason not to be excited.
“I can feel it. Even in Dallas, it wasn’t right away,” Faksa said. “We were taking little steps every season until we got to the point to be a top team in the league. It’s a process. I think this year should be no excuses here anymore to not be battling for a playoff spot. In playoffs, anything can happen. I feel like the NHL is so tight. Any team can beat anyone.
“I’ve played lots of playoff games to be honest in Dallas. I think I’ve got experience in that. That’s what I want to bring.”
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