NHL Rumors: Erik Karlsson names teams he spoke with regarding a trade
Anthony Scultore
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As the calendar creeps towards August, trades and signings speculation will likely start to increase. However, one name that is dominating all NHL Rumors talk is defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Rightfully so after winning his third Norris Trophy award this season thanks to a remarkable 101 points campaign. While the San Jose Sharks have adopted a rebuild approach, Karlsson awaits a trade and is openly speaking about it.
NHL Rumors: Erik Karlsson names teams
The 33 year-old offensive defenseman has been strongly linked to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes in recent weeks.
Now we have learned through a new interview from the Swedish outlet Expressen that Karlsson confirmed speaking with the Penguins, but also the Seattle Kraken, Toronto Maple Leafs, and more.
News out of Pittsburgh is that Kyle Dubas has the endorsement of ownership and captain Sidney Crosby to get Karlsson. When asked if playing for the Pens was his preference, he said that all options are open for the best outcome.
I’ve talked to the people I need to talk to in Pittsburgh and Dubas is of course one of them. It feels like I’ve tried to get as much information as I can from the teams that are interesting. How they look at me, what they want.
Expressen (Translated via Google)
I will try to make a decision based on the information I received.
I want to make the best decision for me and my family, if this goes all the way.
Whether or not a Karlsson trade comes to fruition remains to be seen. The biggest roadblock is his contract which still has four years remaining with an $11.5 cap hit and a full no-move clause. How much of that will the San Jose Sharks be willing to retain is probably going to impact where Karlsson lands as much as where he would prefer to go.
At the end of the day, this is going to be a complex trade with lots of moving parts and probably a third party.