Oh hello end of August. Such a calm and quiet time of the year. For many hockey bloggers and analysts this is the best time of year to take off because absolutely nothing is happe….
There is a sense today that Erik Karlsson trade talks have picked up in the last few days. Most likely destinations appear to be Western Conference. There is also a belief VAN has stepped in to see if it is a match.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) August 22, 2018
Right then. Here we go again.
The Erik Karlsson sweepstakes floodgates have opened once again. The situation(s) in Ottawa are well noted by this point and it’s clear Karlsson is looking to move on. So on this smokey August afternoon we are going to take a look at a few of the options that make sense for Karlsson.
Friedman specifically mentions the West which makes sense based on Melnyk’s prior moves. The last thing he wants is to move Karlsson within his own conference. So the obvious question remains. What can Edmonton do to acquire Erik Karlsson?
I’m an Oilers blogger so no one should be surprised this is at the forefront of my mind. The fact that there is an above 0% chance Karlsson could be moved to Edmonton is enticing the dream about. McDavid and Karlsson could split up ice time and force the opposition to be playing against at least one of them for most of the game. To acquire Karlsson would turn the Oilers from a bubble playoff team to a Cup Contender.
Now that I’m done salivating let’s talk logistics. Less than a month ago I would have said a Karlsson to Edmonton trade was impossible with the main issue being the lack of cap space. That fact has changed with the likelihood that Andrej Sekera and his 5.5 million dollar cap hit will be off the books this season and on the LTIR. This makes the addition of Karlsson’s 6.5 million dollar contract much more feasible to fit under Edmonton’s constrained cap.
The difficulty of a Karlsson trade is based on two main points: 1. Karlsson is an elite defenseman, arguably the best in the league. 2. Karlsson is a UFA after this season, potentially making him a very expensive rental.
Put another way; Ottawa clearly wants the moon for Karlsson but any team is going to be hesitant to do so without guaranteeing they can keep him for more than one year. Either we will see Karlsson go for a lesser deal and watch him sign somewhere else in free agency or likely he is traded and almost immediately signs a long term contract.
Here is the part everyone loves(hates) where I throw out trade proposals that are shouted down. Edmonton could offer Ottawa picks for next year of course, combined with a couple high end prospects, and one other player to balance out salary costs.
Having said that.
Edmonton trades 2019 1st round pick, Ryan Strome, Tyler Benson and Jesse Puljujarvi for Erik Karlsson.
A first, some cap relief for Edmonton, a prospect that might pan out, and a high drafted winger that could become an elite player.
2018/2019 Lineup
Nuge-McDavid-Rattie Lucic-Draisaitl-Rieder Caggiula-Khaira-Yamamoto Upshall-Brodziak-Kassian Aberg
Klefbom-Karlsson Nurse-Larsson Russell-Benning Jerabek
Here is a quick take on some of the other likely suitors in the Western Conference.
San Jose Sharks: Makes the most sense to me. The Sharks have been trying to make a big splash all summer, first with Tavares and reportedly already once with Karlsson. If any GM can pull it off, it’s Wilson.
Vegas Golden Knights: Also already rumoured in the mix. Plenty of cap space for Vegas to toss around still. Maybe they would consider moving one Karlsson for another.
Vancouver Canucks: One of the teams reportedly in talks right now. While they have plenty of space I don’t see them having the assets to make it work. As well...and mostly no disrespect to Vancouver I can’t see Karlsson wanting to sign there long term. Nashville Predators: Nashville finds a way to acquire all the good defensemen. Accept it everyone, it’s going to happen.