The St. Louis Blues might have to resort to some drastic measures as the season approaches the Olympic Break and the Trade Deadline. As far down the list they are in the wildcard standings, the direction in which this team will strive has still been unclear by General Manager Doug Armstrong.
If the Blues were to sell at the deadline, there is one asset that could yield a large return, in defenseman Justin Faulk. There are three teams that could be buying a defenseman with his skill set, especially his knack for scoring a bunch of goals this season.
Let's talk about who that might be.
Carolina Hurricanes
A reunion with the team that drafted him might be in order for Carolina to make a deep playoff run, and for the Blues to get the most amount of value back. If Armstrong can swing a one-for-one defenseman-for-defenseman trade, Faulk could be sent to the Hurricanes in exchange for Alexander Nikishin.
This has a very high likelihood of happening, if it happens at all.
San Jose Sharks
The only team worth trading with right now in the Western Conference playoff race is the San Jose Sharks, as everyone else has been an established force with a reliable roster. The Sharks are a raw, but very talented team, and their upside is as high as being a Stanley Cup favorite, or their season can implode at any moment.
Faulk could give them some much-needed support on the back-end, and Dimitri Orlov could use an offensive defenseman like Faulk.
Montreal Canadiens
The Blues and Montreal Canadiens have had a long-standing history of trades and players belonging to both teams. Defenseman Logan Mailloux was acquired from the Habs for Zack Bolduc, and then, when Alexandre Texier was terminated from his contract with the Blues, Montreal scooped him up, and he has been a star there.
Now, a trade for Justin Faulk could bring back a solid return from Montreal. Of course, draft picks would be great, and Montreal has eight picks next season, including two fourth-rounders. Faulk is worth a prospect and one of those fourth-round picks, which could be used to gain another valuable asset in the future.