The Pittsburgh Penguins should be looking for a new defenceman.
Yesterday, I looked at the prospect of the Pittsburgh Penguins picking up co-captain and star defenceman Justin Faulk of the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Penguins shhould most definitely go after him if given the opportunity. He can truly increase our chances of winning and he could bring a lot to upgrading our blue line.
But acquiring him wouldn’t be cheap. After all, a first/second pairing defenceman doesn’t just fall in to your lap. What exactly would it take to take Justin Faulk off Carolina’s hands?
His Value
Let’s face it, Justin Faulk will cost us a lot. He’s arguably the best defenceman on the Hurricanes, and since they’re a rebuilding team, they’re going to want to get as much as they can get out of him.
On the flip side however, we may be able to use their rebuild to our advantage. Most rebuilding teams may want to blow it up, and if the Canes decide to do that, they may want to just trade him away sooner than later. They already have the second overall pick in this year’s draft to kickstart their rebuild. Trading away other players now will prevent them from waiting and losing potential value.
What Can We Offer?
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins are in luck. The Hurricanes are rebuilding and we’re contending. This makes it a match made in heaven you see. The Hurricanes want to get rid of their older vets so that they can welcome younger guys that will develop and bring them success in the future rather than right now. The Penguins want to exchange younger prospects and picks for older players who can bring success to the table right now. On paper, it seems like this trade could happen pretty easily.
However, we also have to look at what we have in the arsenal. The Hurricanes want a goaltender, but we unfortunately don’t have that, so it’ll be a little harder to entice them.
We could offer them a young and upcoming goalie in Tristan Jarry. On top of Jarry, we would have to probably offer an A level or B level prospect like Zachary Lauzon with a pick. The pick would either be a future first or a second depending on the level prospect.
The Penguins should pursue Faulk, but it may cost us a lot. After all, we are trying to win now, so it could be beneficial to us. I think the Penguins should strongly consider it if the price is right.