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Canes GM compares Justin Faulk to Orr, Potvin, and Housley

Justin Faulk

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk (28) plays agains the Washington Capitals in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Washington, on Tuesday, March 6, 2012. The Hurricanes won 4-3 in overtime with a goal by Faulk. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

AP

Justin Faulk made a big impression on the Carolina Hurricanes last year. In his first season out of Minnesota-Duluth the 19 year-old played big minutes and killed it on the power play. The impression he made on his GM Jim Rutherford, however, was even bigger.

Mike Morreale of NHL.com heard from the Canes executive and finds out he believes Faulk will end up in some very elite company.

“We’ve had defensemen come into the League like [Bobby] Orr, [Denis] Potvin and [Phil] Housley, who were great offensive players, but I’ve never seen a player play so well defensively and offensively at his age,” Rutherford said. “I can’t describe it well enough to tell [fans] what they’re in store for having this great young player.”

Uh, hey Justin... No pressure there, guy. For the record that’s two Hall Of Famers and a guy who will probably end up there eventually that he’s comparing Faulk to.

The truth on Faulk is that he’s a good player already and a guy who helps the Hurricanes’ sketchy blue line corps have one guy they can count on. That said, putting him in the same company as Orr and Potvin... Maybe Rutherford is a bit too jacked up about the upcoming season.