Detroit Hockey Now's Max Smith raised the possibility that Detroit could move Justin Faulk, giving Toronto an interesting comparable to watch if the Maple Leafs revisit a Morgan Rielly trade later.
Smith wrote an article on Aug. 17 that explained how Faulk's time in Detroit could be short-lived given that he was acquired at last year's trade deadline in order to make a late season playoff push, but now that things are different in Detroit after a lot of turnover - he could be on the move:
Faulk's time in Detroit would be a blip on the radar after being acquired, which did cost the Red Wings their first round pick in the 2026 draft, but his acquisition was under a far different set of circumstances than the team finds itself in even now.
However, with Axel Sandin-Pellikka waiting in the wings, the team could afford to move off his contract for a return more suited to the team's future roster needs.
Detroit's Faulk decision could dictate how the expensive veteran trade market operates
If the team does in fact decide to move on from their veterans like Faulk in order to add some youth and find fits for their other prospects then he would make a suitable option. He's a UFA after this season, makes $6.5-million and is more than likely preferring to go to a contender as he reaches the latter stages of his career.
Paying a first-round pick is always a steep price (just ask the Maple Leafs) and while Faulk was a great piece at the time - and put up eight points in 17 games with the Red Wings while having a combined 16 goals and 40 points with the Blues and Red Wings - he's in a completely different scenario now.
Sandin-Pellikka had a solid debut season in Detroit with 21 points in 68 games and while he's still only 21, he's going to be looked at as the focal point of the blueline alongside Mo Seider, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Simon Edvinsson.
With Detroit going through turnover in the front office, a potential Dylan Larkin trade still in the ether, and a focus on shifting towards a rebuild/retool, he'd likely be dealt but with a 15-team no-trade clause as well as an expensive deal - a premium return may be unfeasible for whoever the new President and GM are.
If they are unable to find a deal or just find themselves acquiring lower-tier assets just for the sake of dealing away an expensive veteran, then that's not going to bode well for other teams who are trying to do the same thing.
Morgan Rielly's future could be shaped by what Detroit acquires for Justin Faulk
Other teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs for instance. They have been constantly in the headlines when it comes to a potential Morgan Rielly deal, and they'll have to keep an eye on any Faulk deal if they want an idea of what they might get in return.
Rielly is younger than Faulk (32), he's signed longer (four more years), and comes at only a $1-million AAV increase at $7.5-million. For teams who are looking for more stability and long-term prospects when adding a veteran, then Rielly makes sense and a return there may depend on need as opposed to straight value.
But on the flip side, Faulk actually gives you more dependable offence and doesn't hinder you defensively as much as Rielly, and is less of a commitment to a player who has been regressing for the past two seasons.
A weak Faulk return would still tell Toronto something about how much teams are willing to pay for veteran defencemen carrying significant cap hits. Rielly's longer term and no-movement protection would make his case even more complicated for the Maple Leafs as well.
The Maple Leafs potentially trading Rielly doesn't solely lie on whether or not Faulk gets traded, as one, both or neither of those things can occur. But it does give them an idea of what trading Rielly would bring them back, and depending on who Rielly allows them to send him and how desperate they are for defence - it could actually be a deal worth doing.
Do you think Morgan Rielly will be traded if Justin Faulk is traded as well?
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