Radek Faksa
Radek Faksa was not the "shiny new toy" of the Blues' offseason, but trading for the 31-year-old forward provided some much-needed depth at the center position. If there is one word to describe Radek Faksa it's this: gritty. Faksa has been a solid two-way player, often featuring on the famed "WTF Line" (Nathan Walker, Alexey Toropchenko, Radek Faksa), and the bulk of his contribution to the Blues this season has come from the intangibles. He's been a true fourth-line enforcer, and his ability to grind in the corners and engage in puck battles has been incredibly valuable.
Statistically speaking, Faksa has seven points (two goals, five assists) through 29 games played. He doesn't score much, but his value comes from elsewhere. Among Blues forwards with at least 10 faceoffs, Faksa ranks second in faceoff percentage, behind Robert Thomas, with 54.15% of faceoffs going his way. Among all NHL centers with at least 300 faceoffs, Faksa ranks 29th in FO% so far. He also has 47 hits (6th most on the Blues) and 20 blocks. For a 4th-line center, you can't ask for much more from Faksa.
Keep an eye out for the next pieces in this series, where I'll take a look at Dylan Holloway, Ryan Suter, and the rest of the Blues' offseason additions.