DALLAS – Just hours after waking up as a Duck in Columbus, Ohio, Cam Fowler had said goodbye to the only NHL organization he had known in his career and was on his way to Texas to be a Blue if they needed it, and if not, then sooner.

The Blues traded for the veteran defenseman on Saturday morning to bolster a stressed blueline, and minutes mattered, so why wait?

“As soon as something happens and it’s official, I’m part of this team now and I think the goal was to get me here as quickly as possible and be available for the team,” Fowler said shortly before his debut against the Blues the stars on Saturday evening. “That was really my focus. They wanted me to come in and there was an urgency for me to get here, be part of the team and get things going as quickly as possible.”

Talks about a trade between the Blues and Anaheim Ducks have intensified over the past 24 hours, although the Blues’ need for reinforcements has become more apparent over the last two weeks.

To sign the 33-year-old Fowler, the Blues sent a 2027 second-round pick and minor league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka to Anaheim. The Blues received a 2027 fourth-rounder in Fowler from Anaheim, and they also received some salary relief as the Ducks retained about 38% of Fowler’s cap hit. In the seventh year of an eight-year contract, Fowler will count $4 million against the cap. Fowler had a limited no-trade clause that gave him the say in a trade with the Blues.

Fowler joins 2014 U.S. Olympic teammates Justin Faulk and Ryan Suter on the Blues’ defensive pairings, adding another ice workhorse to a team that relies on four defensemen during a busy stretch.

“If you look at our team right now, most nights we have four guys playing a lot of minutes,” general manager Doug Armstrong said at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. “I felt like it was the right time to support this group and add an experienced player who can help reduce some ice time. I say this with a smile on my face: We’re playing our best four guys for 25 minutes and one of them will be 40 soon. I’m not sure how sustainable this development was.”

Armstrong said bolstering defensive strength became a goal as Nick Leddy’s status deteriorated during the recent road trip. Leddy was “there day after day for almost two months,” Armstrong described. The defenseman last played two months ago, on Oct. 15, returning to St. Louis from Western Canada to undergo a checkup for a lingering lower-body injury.

There is no timetable for his next big move back into the lineup.

“In the air,” Armstrong said. “I hope he plays next week, but I can’t guarantee that. … The boys are getting thinner. We put too much strain on a small number of players.”

Armstrong said if the Blues make a more significant move this season, it would likely be for a player with several years of control, consistent with development initiatives. Fowler’s contract length does not complicate or block the emerging talent the Blues believe is coming. This step was taken to prevent the defense from collapsing under the weight of the current schedule and workload.

“I understand where we are in the standings,” Armstrong said. “I understand where we are in our growth pattern. Every big game we play, every game we participate in benefits (younger players). We’re trying to stay competitive – we’re giving these guys an environment to grow and not pushing our younger players.”

The Blues sent Matthew Kessel to Springfield to make room for Fowler.

Fowler was drafted 12th overall in 2010 and spent 15 seasons and all of his previous 991 NHL games with the Ducks. Last summer, he said he and the team discussed his no-trade protection and seeking a move because “the situation Anaheim was in, the situation I was in in my career.” The Ducks hadn’t been to the playoffs since 2017 and Fowler wanted that chance – knowing it could mean a trade at any time. The call came around 9 a.m. Columbus time Saturday.

Soon after, the attack on Dallas began.

With a 2 1/2 year old at home and his wife Jasmine expecting a child, there are a lot of logistical things to take care of on Monday. But first there are two more games on the program and you will face a new team.

“So I think being there tonight will help calm my nerves a little bit,” Fowler said. “I feel most comfortable when I’m on the ice.”

Brandon Saad went the longest without scoring since joining the Blues nearly four years ago and was a healthy scratch for the first time this season on Saturday. The winger has played 27 consecutive games on injured reserve since the start of the year, but has only scored in two of them, for a total of four goals. Last week against San Jose, he went scoreless for the 13th game in a row – and his ice time in the third period decreased.

“A little bit more productive in terms of creating chances as we are in more consistent areas where goals are being scored between the points,” Montgomery said when asked what he needed to see from the striker. “That would be the main focus.”

During his 13-game stint, Saad has two assists. More than a third of the way through the schedule, he is on pace for his lowest-scoring season, just a year after scoring 26 points.

Dylan Holloway jumped to the second row to start Saturday’s game in Dallas.

Alexandre Texier ran instead of Saad.

Radek Faksa, who sustained a nasty cut to his groin while skating last week that required stitches, was unable to make the trip to Dallas. The Blues initially hoped he would return to the ice against the Stars, his former team, but he continued his recovery in St. Louis and will be re-evaluated before Sunday’s home game against the Rangers.

A subtle but significant contribution to the Blues’ recent success, particularly away from home, has been a complete turnaround in the faceoff circle. In the last six away games, including five wins, the Blues have won 52.9% of their face-offs, and in the five games they have won, it was 54.6%.

For a team that is still in the bottom third in pass rate (48.7%), this is a significant increase. They were at 47.8% before Montgomery became coach.

While there have been some changes, such as Faksa getting more draws, the most important factor is the return of Robert Thomas. With a win rate of 57.0%, Thomas ranks 19th in the NHL among skaters with more than 100 faceoffs this season.

“It’s a little bit like the rest of the game where you have to time your faceoffs and get the timing right,” Thomas said. “It’s a tough battle to win. It definitely takes time to get back into the rhythm and be consistent instead of just being good in one game and bad in the next. Possession is big. You are on the forecheck if you lose. It’s small details that create bigger things.”

Staff writer Matthew DeFranks contributed to this article.