Blues Rumors: What It Will Take To Trade Justin Faulk

The St. Louis Blues sit one game under .500 and eight points out of a playoff spot, so there is a good chance that the team is going to sell at the trade deadline this season. The Blues desperately need to clear out some of their veterans on the back-end, but it isn't easy.

The veteran d-man that the team may most easily be able to move is Justin Faulk, but it could cost the team an asset to get a deal done. The 32-year-old has another two years left on his deal at $6.5 million AAV. The contract has a full no-trade clause this season and changes to a 15 team no-trade list for the final two years. Given that the options are already limited and there aren't a ton of teams that would be willing to take on a contract like that, the asset to make it worth the other team's while makes a lot of sense.

Faulk is a very serviceable defenseman, even though he is past his prime. He plays in the top-4 for the Blues as well as on the top power-play unit and top penalty killing unit. The veteran has logged 22:26 ATOI this season, has two goals and 19 points in 52 games, and is a -15.

The Blues are a team stuck in the middle and have to make some changes in order to move in one direction or another. If the team wants to add in an asset to move Faulk, it won't be that easy if they would rather use a draft pick. The Blues don't own a second round pick in each of the next three drafts and only have their first, fifth, and sixth round picks this year.

It would be easier for the Blues to deal Faulk in the offseason, but there could also be a team in need of an all-around defenseman like him for a playoff run this season as well. He is definitely a name to watch as the trade deadline quickly approaches.