Justin Faulk and/or NHL RHD TDL Rumors

[seattleblue]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I find this situation so enticing because of the deal Boston attempted to make w/Calgary for Rasmus Andersson.

This all was happening amidst a trade offer from Don Sweeney that reportedly included Mason Lohrei, Matt Poitras and a first-round pick going to Calgary in exchange for a top-4 defender that would have given Boston a formidable top four of Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Andersson.

Presently, Boston is pursuing Faulk

With the two execs working closely for Team Canada, they have had plenty of opportunities to discuss a deal for Faulk. “They have been talking for a while now,” the source told Murphy. “Sweeney and Armstrong have been together a lot, and I’m told they’ve talked a lot on Faulk. He fits that void Sweeney’s been trying to fill, and you saw that with the way he went after Andersson before he was traded to Vegas.”

…

Boston will certainly have fierce competition in the Faulk sweepstakes, though. According to RG.com, the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and Utah Mammoth are among the interested clubs. The Blues are looking for a substantial package to let go of Faulk, potentially including a first-round draft pick.

I’d stated in another thread that I’d model the deal similarly to the one they were laying down for Andersson.

Boston Receives:
Justin Faulk (33) $6.5M/yr UFA 27/28

St Louis Receives:
LHD Lohrei (25) 6’-5,” 218lbs - Former 2nd Rounder (#58)
RHC Matthew Poitras (22) 6’-0,” 189lbs - Former 2nd Rounder (#54)
First Rounder 2026 Draft (Toronto - #21 or Boston - #24)

I doubt they could pry a James Hagens away, but maybe a C William Moore if they can’t get Poitras?

I’d be happy with a 1st rounder. I don’t see Faulk getting anything more than that.

Also would be happy with a 1st rounder, and it seems like the market could support that. I'd take a 1st + Victor Soderstrom. I liked the way he was playing on Lindstein's Swedish team last year, he still has some game.

[zamadoo]

The article links to a fever dream of acquiring both Robert Thomas & Justin Faulk. I figured I’d go ahead and share for pure amusement.

I identified Thomas and Faulk (maybe even Kyrou as well) as fits for DET, and DET seems to be one of the best trading partners we could go to, especially if Thomas is involved.

You're probably right about a fever dream, but it could actually make sense and work for both sides. Not sure DET would be willing to give up the pieces though.

It’s genuinely hard to imagine a club being able to give up enough to justify the return. I don’t even know where I’d begin?

Taking into consideration the Bruins offer for Andersson, we’re talking…
NHL Defenseman (Johansson)
NHL Ready Prospect center (Kasper/Danielson/Finnie)
1st Round Pick

Then there’s Thomas; which I guess we use ROR?
1st round pick
2nd round pick
Middle-6 Center (Berglund)
Bottom-6 Center (Sobotka)
Stud Center Prospect (Tage Thompson)

So, we probably need to swap some positions and upgrade returns, but…
M6F - Kasper/Finnie (C) (14-16:00 ATOI)
B6F - Rasmussen/Finnie (C - 13-14:00 ATOI)
Def - Johansson (16-18:00 ATOI)
StudP - Danielson/Kasper/Sandin Pellikka
StudP - Brandsegg-Nygård/Bear
1st Round Pick (2026)
2nd Round Pick (2026)
1st Round Pick (2027)

Is that about right/fair for Thomas & Faulk? I can’t see Detroit doing that…

Wow this is very descriptive and well put together.

ROR = Thomas - this seems like a very fair comparison with both being great players from the get go as teenagers, and both being 26 at time of trade. We may be in a similar or worse position than Buffalo, so does it make sense to trade Thomas? I don't believe Berglund and Sobotka were in the deal for anything other than cap and roster space, which we might expect coming back. Detroit has cap space and maybe even roster space.

My idea was Thomas+Faulk for Copp (#18), Sandin Pellikka, and Danielson (plus whatever else to even value). Maybe add Bear. That's the 3 first rounders for Thomas, including centers and a 20 y/o 6'0 offensive RHD prospect in the NHL.

[zamadoo]

Also would be happy with a 1st rounder, and it seems like the market could support that. I'd take a 1st + Victor Soderstrom. I liked the way he was playing on Lindstein's Swedish team last year, he still has some game.

I was wondering if this was the same Soderstrom drafted high a while back. Based on this write up, I could see why you liked the way he was playing.

"An uber competitive two-way defenceman who thinks the game at the highest level, A gifted skater, his ability to traverse all three zones is best described as smooth and effortless. He never looks disinterested and it's always apparent just how badly he wants to win."

I wouldn't be upset if that were the return for Faulk.

[BleedingBleu]

The article links to a fever dream of acquiring both Robert Thomas & Justin Faulk. I figured I’d go ahead and share for pure amusement.

I identified Thomas and Faulk (maybe even Kyrou as well) as fits for DET, and DET seems to be one of the best trading partners we could go to, especially if Thomas is involved.

You're probably right about a fever dream, but it could actually make sense and work for both sides. Not sure DET would be willing to give up the pieces though.

It’s genuinely hard to imagine a club being able to give up enough to justify the return. I don’t even know where I’d begin?

Taking into consideration the Bruins offer for Andersson, we’re talking…
NHL Defenseman (Johansson)
NHL Ready Prospect center (Kasper/Danielson/Finnie)
1st Round Pick

Then there’s Thomas; which I guess we use ROR?
1st round pick
2nd round pick
Middle-6 Center (Berglund)
Bottom-6 Center (Sobotka)
Stud Center Prospect (Tage Thompson)

So, we probably need to swap some positions and upgrade returns, but…
M6F - Kasper/Finnie (C) (14-16:00 ATOI)
B6F - Rasmussen/Finnie (C - 13-14:00 ATOI)
Def - Johansson (16-18:00 ATOI)
StudP - Danielson/Kasper/Sandin Pellikka
StudP - Brandsegg-Nygård/Bear
1st Round Pick (2026)
2nd Round Pick (2026)
1st Round Pick (2027)

Is that about right/fair for Thomas & Faulk? I can’t see Detroit doing that…

Wow this is very descriptive and well put together.

ROR = Thomas - this seems like a very fair comparison with both being great players from the get go as teenagers, and both being 26 at time of trade. We may be in a similar or worse position than Buffalo, so does it make sense to trade Thomas? I don't believe Berglund and Sobotka were in the deal for anything other than cap and roster space, which we might expect coming back. Detroit has cap space and maybe even roster space.

My idea was Thomas+Faulk for Copp (#18), Sandin Pellikka, and Danielson (plus whatever else to even value). Maybe add Bear. That's the 3 first rounders for Thomas, including centers and a 20 y/o 6'0 offensive RHD prospect in the NHL.

Detroit Gets:
Thomas (26)
Faulk (34)

Blues Get:
M6C - Copp (31 - signed through 2026/27)
RHD - ASP (#17; 2023)
C - Danielson (#9; 2023)
W - Bear (#13; 2025)
2026 - Detroit’s First Round Pick

Now, this isn’t a perfect representation, but for the fun of it, I placed this in the HLM26 trade calculator. One potential problem is it’s based on the start of the season (September).



The names are obviously different, but are representational of the actual players on the roster. Honestly, it’s kind of close to what we were building. So, I’m willing to grade the assessment on theory & spreadsheet as accurate

[BleedingBleu]

More Faulk to Bruins rumors…

Blues Trade Rumors: Atlantic Team 'Actively Targeting' Justin Faulk

A previous report suggests that the Blues are looking for a return similar to what the Calgary Flames received from the Vegas Golden Knights for the aforementioned Andersson. That was a massive package that included a top prospect in Abram Wiebe, an established veteran defenseman, Zach Whitecloud, along with a first-round pick (2027), and a conditional 2028 second-round pick.

[BleedingBleu]

I actually think this is a great sign…

Blues' GM Making It Very Difficult To Trade Players

Frank Seravalli said, "I think the price for a lot of the Blues' players has turned people off, so Doug Armstrong is going to have to soften on that or else they're going to be hanging on to their guys."

We call that thinning out the herd

The players that aren't going to be in St. Louis for the long haul, whether that is because their contracts are coming to an end within the next couple of seasons, or there is interest in them now, Armstrong likely has a very high price set on them. He has also become very attached to these players and give them opportunities that they may not deserve on the Olympic rosters, so it's not surprising that these struggling players and others on the team will be tough to pull from the Blues.

I see he’s not a Binnington fan, but thinks the Blues should get rid of him for peanuts because…?

Players like Justin Faulk, Brayden Schenn, Oskar Sundqvist, Jordan Binnington, and some others need to be moved for what the team can get. It will not only give young and deserving players more opportunities, but what they have hasn't worked and it isn't just an off season.

It’s pretty clear this author hasn’t performed the bare minimum to view the organization, unless he thinks Kessel, Skinner, or um.. Zherenko/Cranley(?) deserve more time on the ice?

Now, that may be the end result for Skinner or Kessel, but it’s laughable watching the argument of sell at all cost because your team already sucks with those players on it, and development only occurs with NHL Reps.

[Pierre McGuire]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I find this situation so enticing because of the deal Boston attempted to make w/Calgary for Rasmus Andersson.

This all was happening amidst a trade offer from Don Sweeney that reportedly included Mason Lohrei, Matt Poitras and a first-round pick going to Calgary in exchange for a top-4 defender that would have given Boston a formidable top four of Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Andersson.

Presently, Boston is pursuing Faulk

With the two execs working closely for Team Canada, they have had plenty of opportunities to discuss a deal for Faulk. “They have been talking for a while now,” the source told Murphy. “Sweeney and Armstrong have been together a lot, and I’m told they’ve talked a lot on Faulk. He fits that void Sweeney’s been trying to fill, and you saw that with the way he went after Andersson before he was traded to Vegas.”

…

Boston will certainly have fierce competition in the Faulk sweepstakes, though. According to RG.com, the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and Utah Mammoth are among the interested clubs. The Blues are looking for a substantial package to let go of Faulk, potentially including a first-round draft pick.

I’d stated in another thread that I’d model the deal similarly to the one they were laying down for Andersson.

Boston Receives:
Justin Faulk (33) $6.5M/yr UFA 27/28

St Louis Receives:
LHD Lohrei (25) 6’-5,” 218lbs - Former 2nd Rounder (#58)
RHC Matthew Poitras (22) 6’-0,” 189lbs - Former 2nd Rounder (#54)
First Rounder 2026 Draft (Toronto - #21 or Boston - #24)

I doubt they could pry a James Hagens away, but maybe a C William Moore if they can’t get Poitras?

I’d be happy with a 1st rounder. I don’t see Faulk getting anything more than that.

Likely Poitras and a second round pick. I’d be holding out for Letourneau though. That’s the price I hope Army is demanding With that said…I’ve always liked Poitras…good player, I think the Bruins rushed him a bit and he wasn’t ready. I think he’d be a good addition if he’s the player in the deal.