By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full effect for National Hockey League players, but that doesn’t mean rumors aren’t swirling around with the trade deadline weeks away. The Boston Bruins will be one of the NHL teams that will need to be active at the trade deadline, considering the team is in a playoff position with 69 points.
It will be interesting to see what Bruins general manager Don Sweeney does to upgrade the team. One area that needs an upgrade is the defense, and the Bruins were linked to St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk, according to David Pagnotta. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars are the two other teams Pagnotta named to be linked to Faulk.
“Teams looking to add a veteran right-shot defenceman to their roster are eyeing Faulk, who has another year left on his contract,” Pagnotta said. “He owns a 15-team no-trade list and will have some say if he’s moved. The Blues are open to it, but will they find the right deal?”
Faulk will turn 34 years old on March 20 and will be an unrestricted free agent after next season. Faulk has a cap hit of $6.5 million per year. For his salary, it could be a risk for the Bruins to take, but considering the team’s position and defense, Faulk may be worth going after if the value is right.
Faulk has been one of the few bright spots on the Blues this season. The Blues are the second-worst team in the Western Conference with 49 points, but Faulk’s 30 points are not only the fourth-most on the team’s roster this season, but it also leads all Blues defensemen. Surprisingly, Faulk’s 11 goals are the same number of goals that Robert Thomas has scored this season.
In another stat that may sound crazy, Faulk has more goals this season than any Bruins defenseman has on the season. That alone can make the Bruins want a defenseman who can score goals. The Bruins could use an upgrade for a right-handed defenseman who has good experience playing in 1,037 career NHL games, and Faulk can do that. Andrew Peeke and Henri Jokiharju are two right-handed defensemen on the Bruins, but they haven’t been that impactful. This season, Peeke has recorded 12 points, and Jokiharju has just nine assists. Besides Charlie McAvoy, no other Bruins defenseman has recorded at least 25 points this season. Faulk is a player who can be the number two right-handed defenseman alongside McAvoy.
If the Bruins were to trade for Faulk, the value has to be right considering his age and contract. Peeke and Jokiharju could be two potential players the Bruins could trade to get Faulk. Peeke is on an expiring contract at a $2.75 million salary, and Jokiharju has two years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3 million per year, so each contract there can be reasonable for the Blues to take back. Draft picks or prospects could also be involved as well, but that is where the Bruins would need to be careful.
A first-round draft pick for Faulk may be too high to throw in for the Bruins, and it’s something the Blues could be asking from teams. However, the Bruins have three 2026 fourth-round draft picks, which the team could use one or more of those draft picks instead, plus another draft pick in the second-round or third-round draft pick if the Bruins want to keep their two first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027. Also, with Providence having the second-best record in the AHL, the Blues could ask for a prospect, but the Bruins will need to keep their best prospects, considering Providence’s record.
More trade rumors will be trending while the NHL is having the Olympic break, but Faulk is one name linked in rumors for the Bruins.
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