Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues emerge as trade partners for sought-after trade deadline asset
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Hunter Bowman
Feb 19, 2026 (8:50)
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Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Boston Bruins are staring at a glaring hole on the right side of their defense, and they are ready to write a massive check to fix it.
Don Sweeney is officially hunting. The general manager knows his roster is bleeding chances against top-tier teams, and he refuses to just sit on his hands.
Word broke today that Boston is locked in serious trade talks with the St. Louis Blues. The undisputed target of this aggressive push is veteran right-shot defenseman Justin Faulk.
James Murphy: According to an NHL source with knowledge of the situation, the Bruins and Blues have been engaged in NHL trade talks on right-shot Blues veteran defenseman Justin Faulk - RG (2/17)
This isn't a cheap depth move. Faulk carries a premium price tag and demands top-line respect every single time he steps on the ice.
We are talking about a hefty $6.5 million cap hit. For a Bruins organization that is already squeezing every penny, bringing him aboard is a massive financial burden.
But you simply can't ignore the sheer offensive production. Through 57 games this season, Faulk has already buried 11 goals and racked up 30 points from the back end.
He eats incredibly heavy minutes against elite competition every night. He shoots right, moves the puck with bad intentions, and fills the exact void the Bruins have agonized over.
Don Sweeney look to capitalize on upcoming trade
Doug Armstrong won't just hand Faulk over to the Bruins, as the St. Louis front office knows exactly how desperate Boston is right now, holding all the leverage in these talks.
Faulk has been a reliable anchor for the Blues all year long. His -3 rating is entirely misleading, and his 30 penalty minutes prove he absolutely thrives in the dirty areas.
The cost will be brutal. Boston will absolutely have to gut their remaining draft capital to make this blockbuster deal a reality.
Sweeney clearly has a habit of swinging for the fences at the deadline. He loves the huge splash, even if it mortgages the entire future of the franchise.
But you have to ask yourself if a 33-year-old defenseman is genuinely the missing piece for a deep playoff run. The mileage on his body is really starting to add up.
The clock is ticking fast. The rest of the Eastern Conference is loading up their rosters, and the Bruins can't afford to freeze.
Will Justin Faulk be the ultimate savior they need, or just another incredibly expensive gamble that completely blows up in their face?