The St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings made a trade at the trade deadline involving defenseman Justin Faulk. The deal, which had defenseman Justin Holl, prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2026 third-round pick via San Jose, goes to the Blues.
Nearing the end of the 2025-26 season, both teams are eliminated from the playoffs, but it looks like there was one clear-cut winner in this trade. Let's break it down and declare it. At first it look liked the Blues failed in their return for Faulk, but instead, it might have been a win.
Blues are 100% the winner
Holl appeared in eight games with the Blues since the trade, and had a goal and an assist. As of right now, he has a +/- of 6, and has been a steady contributor to good defensive play on the blueline. A blessing and a curse for the 34-year-old is that this is the end of a three-year contract.
The Blues can go one of two ways with Holl over the offseason, and with some defensive prospects not quite ready to make the jump to the NHL-level yet, he might be worth more to hold onto. It is going to have to come at a bargain, though.
Buchelnikov was fantastic in the KHL for CSKA Moscow this season. With 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 44 games, he may be worth giving a call too for preseason next season.
The real bread and butter of this deal is the first and third-round picks. Alongside the Colorado Avalanche's first-round pick, the Blues have three first-round picks in this upcoming draft. The real kicker here, is that as the Red Wings keep on losing at the end of this season, their draft pick is getting better and better.
Right now, the Blues are projected to land at No. 8, No. 15, and No.31 in this upcoming draft. That right there can change a franchise's fortune immediately.
Faulk had a fantastic tenure in St. Louis, and this season was amongst some of his best prior to being traded. But, his removal might have set up the Blues very nicely in the future. A necessary move to set up the long-term.