Newly-acquired Detroit Red Wings defenseman Justin Faulk is already a fan of how his new teammates play the game, and he's ready to do his part and contribute.
Sunday evening marked the Detroit Red Wings' debut for defenseman Justin Faulk, who was acquired on Friday from the St. Louis Blues.
Known as an offensive-minded defenseman who can play in all situations, Faulk showed poise in his first game with the Red Wings, playing in just under 20 minutes while also firing three shots on goal and blocking four Devils shots.
He had a golden chance to score after partially breaking in alone into the Devils' zone on a broken play during the second period, but his attempt was gloved by goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
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Faulk is already a fan of how the Red Wings play, and is looking forward to doing what he can to help them get over the hump.
“It’s a good group, I like the way we play, guys like to make some plays and play with some pace," Faulk said afterward. "It’s a hungry group, I can tell. There’s definitely some veterans in here, too, that’ll help lead the way with that.
I’m excited to be a part of it, get going, and then try and play my part.”
For Faulk, it's the second time in his NHL career that he's been traded. A former 2010 second-round (37th overall) pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, he was dealt to the Blues in September 2019 for Joel Edmundson, Dominik Bokk, and a 2021 seventh-round pick.
"I've been traded before, so I have a little experience with it," he said. "It's definitely a unique time of year for it, but I'm not the only one to go through it by any means, and won't be the last.
It's a challenge, but it's an exciting challenge coming to a team that's trying to do some damage and get to the playoffs and win a lot of games. It's exciting."
While he had a sense that the Blues could move him, he didn't get the official word until after the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline had passed.
"I got the call a couple of minutes after the Deadline, I was waiting all day," Faulk said with a laugh. "
One of the biggest needs of the Red Wings was a right-handed defenseman with some offensive upside, and they fulfilled that need with the acquisition of Faulk.
He and his new teammates will continue their road trip by taking on the Florida Panthers on Tuesday evening.
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