Welcome back to another edition of NHL rumours here at Last Word On Hockey. In this edition, the spotlight will shine on a St. Louis Blues defenceman, who’s been the subject of ongoing trade speculation.
In particular, the conversation will shed light on what the Blues’ asking price is for said blueliner amid a terrible scarcity of available rearguards on the NHL trade market.
NHL Rumours: Blues Asking Price for Justin Faulk in Ballpark of Rasmus Andersson
Rumour: The St. Louis Blues are looking to get a similar return to what the Calgary Flames got for Rasmus Andersson in a Justin Faulk trade. During the January 24 edition of Saturday Headlines, insider Elliotte Friedman expounded on the Blues’ expectations of what they want for Faulk, amid the scarcity of blueliners on the market this season.
Analysis: If these NHL rumours prove correct, the Blues will expect to get a first-round pick, a second or third-rounder, and a roster player.
That’s three pieces the Blues could be looking to get for the veteran Faulk. On the surface, the price tag seems high for Faulk. The Vegas Golden Knights paid that price for Andersson as he’s 29, and a legit, top-pairing blueliner.
That’s not the case for Faulk. He’s a bit older at 33. But there’s no telling how much the wear and tear of over 1,000 NHL games could have affected Faulk. If these NHL rumours are true, the Blues may have to temper their expectations moving forward.
There doesn’t seem to be much chance of a team paying that price for Faulk at this year’s trade deadline. But then again, a team may get desperate enough amid injuries that they could pay such a price for Faulk.
Blues Might Look to Brandon Carlo Trade for a Reasonable Comp
Last season, NHL rumours suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs were turning over stones for a right-shot defenceman to play with Morgan Rielly. In the end, the speculation ended with the Maple Leafs landing Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins.
The deal saw the Maple Leafs send a top prospect and a first-round pick to Boston. That deal may be more or a reasonable comparable for the Blues in a Justin Faulk trade. The Blues may not get three pieces in a trade. But it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect a solid prospect and a first-round pick for Faulk.
While Faulk may not necessarily be worth that much, that isn’t the point. The issue here is the Blues capitalising on the current market dynamics. It’s not that Faulk is suddenly the best defenceman in the league. It’s just that there’s a lack of other viable options out there.
The St. Louis Blues know that. So, prevailing NHL rumours suggest that general manager Doug Armstrong is fully willing to take advantage of that situation. Armstrong is in the final year of his tenure at the Blues’ helm. That’s why his focus will be to leave the club in a reasonable state for incoming boss Alex Steen.
There’s no imminent trade for Faulk on the horizon. If anything, this entire conversation is merely speculation. But it’s the sort of situation that could play out in the coming days as the NHL heads towards the Olympic roster freeze. Otherwise, a deal could happen until after the Olympics.
Main Photo Credit: Jeff Curry – Imagn Images