It’s no secret that Erik Karlsson is on the trade block. The Pittsburgh Penguins must rebuild and build up a depleted farm system while adding youth to the lineup. Moving the 35-year-old defenseman is the start.
It won’t be easy for the Penguins and general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas with $10 million average annual value (AAV) on a contract that has two more seasons on it. That said, this is the offseason to move him.
The question is, which teams can target Karlsson? Which teams have the salary cap space or the urge to add a supremely talented offensive defenseman on the decline? It turns out, a few teams can.
Dallas Stars
If the Dallas Stars want Karlsson, they’ll have to jump through hoops to get him from the Penguins. The Stars are pressed against the cap and have tough decisions involving Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley, two elite players in need of extensions. All this to say, Karlsson is more of a dream than a reality.
If the Stars can make it work, Karlsson would be a great fit in their defneisve unit. They need a right-side defenseman, and with Miro Heiskanen and Harley stabilizing the unit, this move puts them over the top. Karlsson adds that scoring touch to get this team from perennial Western Conference Final appearances to the Stanley Cup Final.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Like the Stars, a Karlsson trade is wishful thinking. The Tampa Bay Lightning have no cap space to make a move like this, and doing so would require a lot of maneuvering. They’d have to trade away a bad contract and hope the Penguins take on most of the salary.
The Lightning would be a great fit even if the warning signs are there. They are a good team on the decline, and making this move, just like the Penguins did in the 2023 offseason, can set them back a few years. However, getting him sets them up for one more run. Imagine Karlsson playing alongside Victor Hedman and how good that pairing would be.
Detroit Red Wings
For a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in nine seasons and is desperate to do so, the Detroit Red Wings are having a quiet offseason. Too quiet. With all the cap space to make a big move, GM Steve Yzerman must be up to something, especially since there’s a lot of pressure to return to the playoffs.
The Red Wings are also a team that can use some help on their defense. Outside of Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, they don’t have many reliable contributors on their defense and certainly not a difference-maker.
Yzerman knows the risks of a borderline playoff team adding Karlsson. The San Jose Sharks and the Penguins took steps back after they added him, and the Red Wings, who are only a few points away from a playoff spot, can flop with the addition. At the same time, Karlsson is the type of player who not only gets the Red Wings to the playoffs but can turn them into a contender.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are an interesting team in the Karlsson sweepstakes. They have cap space but only around $5 million, so they’ll need some help. If they get some, they’ll be all-in on Karlsson.
The Maple Leafs have a great defense, and Karlsson doesn’t fit the Craig Berube mold for what he wants in his defensemen. However, Karlsson is the defenseman who makes a difference in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs lacked that spark from the blue line last season, and if they can find one somewhere, it will allow them to go on a playoff run.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have plenty of cap space to make a move, and as a team that constantly makes the playoffs but doesn’t go far, they are looking to take that next step. They have a great defense but aside from Josh Morrissey, they don’t have a two-way presence on their blue line
That’s why they should add Karlsson. He can be that missing piece and provide the Jets with plenty of scoring at the point. Yes, the Jets showed plenty of other flaws in the playoffs but Karlsson is someone who gives them an edge next season.
The Pens never learned how to play with EK. He’s essentially a F playing D. He’s still really good, but the Pens were a bad fit. Our forward group isn’t exactly loaded with a bunch of defensively conscious guys. Add EK with our pitiful LD’s and that’s not going to work out too well. I heard the rumors about Detroit.
By the way, EK can play competent D when he wants to. Unfortunately, it’s pretty sporatic.
It also didn’t help that the Penguins were on the decline. When Karlsson is on a contender, which he was with the Senators and the Sharks (for that one season), he takes the team to another level. Teams saw what Seth Jones did when he went from Chicago to Florida and have to imagine Karlsson will do the same on a contender