The Boston Bruins will be buyers at the NHL trade deadline this season. That’s the prevailing chatter circulating at the moment.
In particular, a recent report in RG Media by veteran journalist James Murphy brought this situation to light. Additionally, my colleague Scott Roche delved into one specific part of that chatter: The Bruins’ pursuit of veteran blueliner Justin Faulk.
The Bruins’ interest in Faulk makes sense. The club wants a right-shot D-man to support the team’s overall depth. That’s a fine idea. But the major issue here is that Boston isn’t the looking team kicking the tires on Faulk.
According to Murphy, about a half-dozen teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, and Utah Mammoth, have all been swirling around Faulk. That situation could artificially inflate the price for Faulk.
Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues have to be sitting pretty. The team, amid a rebuild, will be looking to capitalize on the evident absence of supply in the market. That’s why, as per basic economics, anytime there’s a scarcity of supply with abundant buyers, the price will go up. Even if all buyers agree to keep the price down, someone may get trigger-happy and blow up the price.
That’s what the Blues are counting on, and that’s what the Bruins should be wary of. The Bruins cannot afford to get into a bidding war with other teams over Faulk. If other clubs are willing to overpay, that’s their prerogative.
The purported asking price for Faulk is a first-round pick and a high-end prospect. That’s pretty much what the Calgary Flames asked for Andersson. In the end, they got the picks, but settled for a decent NHL-caliber blueliner in Zach Whitecloud.
The Bruins, for their part, have some pieces to play with. They have two first-round picks this year, including the Florida Panthers’. That pick came as a result of the Brad Marchand deal last season.
Plus, the Bruins do have a couple of prospects that might interest the Blues. For instance, Matthew Poitras has been a name bouncing around the rumor mill. Perhaps the Blues might be willing to take Mason Lohrei instead.
It’s worth pointing out that the Blues may balk at the Panthers’ pick. It’s a top-10 protected pick this year and could slide to next season if the Panthers finish out of the playoff race. Other clubs may entice the Blues with more than just a first-rounder or a mid-tier prospect.
That’s why, if a bidding war does break out, the Bruins would do well to pass on Faulk like they did with Rasmus Andersson.
Bruins GM talking with Blues counterpart
An interesting tidbit of information, courtesy of Murphy, focused on the fact that both Don Sweeney and Blues’ GM Doug Armstrong are in Milano-Cortina for the Olympics. That’s why both execs have had a chance to talk about potential deals between the Bruins and Blues. That situation could mean that a trade could be brewing as we speak.
If anything, having Sweeney and Armstrong in the same geographic location at the moment helps move the chains on a trade. While Faulk may not be the ultimate target, the Blues have various pieces in play.
So, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear about the Bruins and Blues discussing one player and end up agreeing on swapping other players. The key here will be the post-Olympic period. A flurry of trades could come in the immediate aftermath of rosters unfreezing on February 23.
Bruins fans should keep an eye on what new developments may unfold.