Erik Karlsson derby: A major trade could happen tomorrow with the Pittsburgh Penguins
For the past few weeks, rumors surrounding star defenseman Erik Karlsson have been generating a lot of discussions. The Swedish player clearly informed the San Jose Sharks management that he won't be returning next season, which has fueled extensive talks about a potential trade involving the Norris Trophy recipient.
While the Carolina Hurricanes seemed to be the frontrunners to acquire him, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recently shown significant interest. In fact, General Manager Kyle Dubas is reportedly ready to make a substantial offer to acquire the defenseman who just accumulated an incredible total of 101 points.
However, the salary cap poses serious problems for the Penguins at the moment, as they clearly lack the space to accommodate his hefty $11.5 million contract. Yet, a solution might present itself to Kyle Dubas over the weekend. Thanks to the signing of Drew O'Connor, the GM will have a 48-hour window to initiate a contract buyout.
Players like Ryan Rust ($5.125 million x 5 years), Mikael Granlund ($5 million x 2 years), Rickard Rakell ($5 million x 5 years), Reilly Smith ($5 million x 2 years), or even Jeff Carter ($3.125 million x 1 year) are conceivable options for such personnel moves.
In this context, respected analyst Elliotte Friedman has indicated that the Pittsburgh Penguins will be closely watched over the next two days, as a major transaction involving Erik Karlsson could be on the horizon:
Currently exceeding the salary cap by $3.2 million, even with a contract buyout, Kyle Dubas will need to persuade his counterpart at the Sharks to retain a portion of Erik Karlsson's salary.
Imagine how powerful the Penguins' power play would be if Erik Karlsson joined the Pennsylvania team. NHL teams might have nightmares about facing Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Erik Karlsson, and Kristopher Letang.
One thing is certain � this will be a closely followed storyline over the next couple of days!
Source: Habs & LNH
| POLL | ||
Do you believe Erik Karlsson will be a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins next season? | ||
| Yes | 73 | 54.5 % |
| No | 61 | 45.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
