A veteran right-shot defenceman may be available, and he checks every box the Leafs need
Photo credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
A new report from David Pagnotta shows that St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk is available for trade, as the Maple Leafs look to improve their blueline amidst a struggling early-season slump.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue their search for help on their backend, some news out of St. Louis is relevant to Toronto's ongoing search for help on defense.
What the new report says about Justin Faulk and a potential Blues shakeup
Speaking on the Hello Hockey podcast, Pagnotta explained that you're likely going to start hearing more noise around St. Louis' Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk as the team has been noted as 'open for business.'
If this is a team that doesn't go on a bit of a heater here soon, we're gonna hear more talks about Brayden Schenn; Justin Faulk; 15 team no trade for both of these guys.
A 15-team no trade clause does make things harder for Toronto to make a deal, as they would need to be on the allowed teams list.
Why Justin Faulk's skill set fits exactly what the Maple Leafs need on the blueline
A right-handed shot, Faulk, 33, has long been one of the more reliable and stable offensive defenseman in the NHL.
He has 446 points in 996 career games while also adding a steady defensive and physical presence with 1,361 blocks and 1,589 hits respectively.
His numbers represent an improvement offensively over the likes of Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit, and Faulk would be able to slide into the third pairing alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson and allow him to play on the left side.
There is also a scenario where he could be paired with Morgan Rielly, shifting Carlo down to the third pairing and having a new dynamic offensively on the backend.
Faulk would also give Rielly and Ekman-Larsson a bit of a breather when it comes to running the power play, and his 150 career points on the man advantage will help Toronto even more.
The defenseman does make $6.5-million for this season and the next, and while it's a bit pricey, his reliability and durability make him a plausible target.
With both teams positioned to explore options, discussions could make sense for both sides depending on market conditions.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 10 | 1246 ANSWERS A veteran right-shot defenceman may be available, and he checks every box the Leafs need Should Toronto try and pursue Justin Faulk or go after another player like Dougie Hamilton this season? | ||
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