The Detroit Red Wings swung a trade for Justin Faulk at the buzzer of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. Detroit paid a steep price to bring the veteran blueliner to the Motor City, as well. They sent a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, defenseman Justin Holl, and forward prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov to the St. Louis Blues.
Faulk made his team debut on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils. Overall, he had a strong game. He blocked four shots, threw four hits, made quality defensive plays, and had a breakaway scoring chance in the second period. After the game, the veteran blueliner spoke about the trade to the Red Wings for the first time.
“I got the call a couple minutes after the deadline, so I was waiting all day,” Faulk said with a laugh in a clip shared on YouTube by the Red Wings' official account. “We knew (the Blues) were probably going to make some moves. I knew the situation I was in. So, I was prepared as much as I could be.”
Faulk played on the second pairing with fellow veteran Ben Chiarot. This was the first time Faulk stepped on the ice with Detroit, as he met the team in New Jersey earlier on Sunday. He spoke about how he fit in with his new teammates so easily in the win.
“A lot of communication. I played with Benny tonight, and he talks a lot, which is great. It makes the game a lot easier. It's encouraged for everybody on the ice to be chatting. So I think I'll be able to adjust pretty quick,” Faulk said.
This was certainly a successful debut for the newest Red Wings defenseman. Now, the task is to build upon this and continue stacking wins. Faulk and his Red Wings take the ice once again on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
