Austin Konenski
The Detroit Red Wings beat the buzzer and traded for one of the top defenseman on the market. Detroit acquired St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk for defenseman Justin Holl, un-signed draft choice Dmirtri Buchelnikov, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2026 third round pick, the team announced.
Faulk was having a strong year with St. Louis and will slot into the second line behind Mo Seider and Simon Edvinsson. The 33-year-old defenseman has 11 goals and 21 assists through 61 games. Faulk’s defense was more important than his offensive production with the Blues during the 2025-26 NHL season.
The three-time All-Star defenseman has a $6.5 million cap hit with one-and-a-half seasons left on his contract. Detroit was forced to give up a first-round pick and third-round pick, but the latter was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins after sending out Elmer Soderblom. Holl was an expendable contract, while Buchelnikov’s NHL status is unclear.
The Detroit players and coaches earned the opportunity to make a push for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Faulk and David Perron represent the reward of the Red Wings’ strong play during the 2025-26 NHL season. A top-4 right-handed shot defenseman was Detroit’s biggest need, and Faulk will fit in perfectly.
Detroit kept its highly-prized prospects, giving the organization more flexibility moving forward. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman finally swung a much-needed trade to push this team toward the playoffs. Faulk will share the second line with Ben Chiarot, giving Detroit two amazing defensive pairs.
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