NHL Insider Links Erik Karlsson To Former Team For Possible Off-Season Trade

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Hunter Bowman
March 11, 2024 (2:22 PM)

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are poised for an intriguing offseason as they aim to stay competitive with stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang on their roster.

General Manager Kyle Dubas made a significant move at the trade deadline, sending Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick and promising prospect Ville Koivunen, who's been impressive in Finland's top league.

While it's not certain whether they'll make another big move, the Penguins could explore trading defenseman Erik Karlsson to bolster their lineup.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Monday's '32 Thoughts' podcast, Karlsson's potential trade won't be straightforward, but the Ottawa Senators, where Karlsson previously played, might be interested, especially with Daniel Alfredsson on their coaching staff. However, Karlsson holds a full no-movement clause and has the final say in any trade decision.

"It's not going to be an easy one to move, it definitely isn't...I'll say this, there is going to be a lot of focus on Ottawa, if there's one team that you would think would consider it, it would be them with Daniel Alfredsson there" Friedman said.

He added, "If it's not Ottawa, and don't forget, Karlsson has a lot of control here, it's hard to see where it makes sense. I think the Sens are going to be a really, really busy team in the offseason, I think they had a lot of conversations that will get punted into the summer"

Karlsson, 33, hasn't matched his past performance in his first season with the Penguins, tallying 43 points (eight goals, 35 assists) in 63 games.

Source: Bladeofsteel