One of the most talked-about trade candidates this season is St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk. The veteran blueliner has been linked to numerous teams. However, none has emerged as a clear frontrunner for the 1,000-game defenseman.
Nevertheless, insiders Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic took a stab at predicting which teams could be potential fits for the Blues’ D-man. In a January 2 piece, the insiders pulled out their crystal ball, coming up with two potential fits for Faulk.
Let’s start with LeBrun’s idea. LeBrun believes that a contending team like the Vegas Golden Knights could be looking to add the Blues’ veteran blueliner. He wrote:
“I could see a world in which Faulk ends up with the Golden Knights, who haven’t really replaced the injured Alex Pietrangelo. I still think Rasmus Andersson is the more natural fit for the Golden Knights but if that doesn’t happen, Faulk is signed through next season and would give Vegas two playoff runs with a trusted right-shot defender.”
LeBrun’s thought process points toward Faulk being a sort of fallback option for the Golden Knights. The chatter has been about Vegas wanting the Calgary Flames' Rasmus Andersson. However, Andersson won’t be cheap. Plus, the Flames are reportedly reluctant to move the impending UFA. But if Andersson stays in Calgary, or goes elsewhere, the Golden Knights could circle back to the Blues and Justin Faulk.
Blues could send Faulk to East Coast club
Another Stanley Cup contender, the back-to-back champs Florida Panthers, are the destination for Faulk, Chris Johnston believes. Johnston believes the Cats are looking for an upgrade on their right side.
Johnston offered this rationale for the Panthers and Blues becoming trade partners:
“The Panthers will be looking to upgrade the right side of their blue line, where Jeff Petry is currently logging minutes on the third pairing behind Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad.”
This comment is highly interesting, especially since it was written before Seth Jones sustained an injury during the Winter Classic on Friday night. Now, the extent of Jones’ injury remains unclear. However, you would have to think that if Jones misses significant time, the Panthers would be willing to push for Faulk.
Without Jones, Faulk would become the Panthers’ second right-shot D-man. That’s something crucial for Florida, as the club has had a hard time staying in the playoff picture this year.
The one hitch, as Johnston noted, is Florida’s cap situation. Considering Faulk has two years remaining on his current deal, the Blues might not be willing to retain any salary. That situation could complicate things. But as we’ve seen in the past, Panthers GM Bill Zito has a way of figuring things out.
It’s unclear where the Blues will move Faulk after all. But if there’s a deal to be made, the Blues could be in a position to fleece contending teams like the Golden Knights and the Panthers.