It’s time once again for another NHL rumours. Teams are always looking to improve, but sometimes they have to take a major risk to do that. A deal can be had, but it takes a lot of moving parts. The San Jose Sharks might have a game-changing player that could kickstart their rebuild. Today’s NHL rumours look at a possible Erik Karlsson trade and how hard it could be. All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours: Erik Karlsson Could Be Traded By The Deadline
Rumour: TSN’s Chris Johnston said on the Insider Trading that Erik Karlsson could be on his way out
Chris Johnston said the Sharks could deal the Norris Trophy winner by the March 3 trade deadline. New general manager Mike Grier is open to dealing Karlsson and would listen to any offers. The Swede is having a career revival with 10 goals and 24 points in 18 games this season.
One team that may have discussed a trade for Karlsson is the Ottawa Senators according to Sheng Peng of NBC Sports Bay Area. Peng backs up a rumour from Elliotte Friedman that the Sharks and the Sens have discussed a return to the Canadian capital for “EK65.” Karlsson was traded to San Jose from Ottawa in September 2018 in a blockbuster deal.
INSIDER TRADING: #TSNHockey Insiders discuss…
– GMs talk cut-resistant sleeves
– #Canucks head coach Boudreau on borrowed time
– Dorion ‘very active’ exploring trade market
– #SJSharks open to listening on KarlssonWATCH 🌍: https://t.co/Yt8T2Z7sTu pic.twitter.com/9Xusnu4Zvv
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) November 15, 2022
What It Means For The Future
There are a lot of things in the way of a trade to Ottawa or anywhere. Karlsson has a full no-trade clause and an $11.5 million salary cap hit. A team is going to have to give up a lot if they want to get their hands on Karlsson. However, his strong play might be worth the risk.
He called Ottawa his “forever home” and he’d love to go back there. Returning to the Senators would be an easy decision for him. Any new ownership group could make a great first impression if they can bring back a Senators’ legend. The temptation is there for Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion. However, it has to be the right deal because it will change the direction of the franchise. Karlsson is under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season with that $11.5 million cap hit according to Cap Friendly. This does complicate an Erik Karlsson trade a bit. But it is undeniable that these NHL rumours are fun to think about!
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