Elliotte Friedman Speculates Over A Possible Erik Karlsson Trade to the Western Conference
's name has been red-hot on the trade market, and with Pittsburgh pushing for a re-tool, he's now been linked to Western Conference heavyweights Dallas as they once again look to go all in for a Stanley Cup run.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have made their direction clear this season, with the team now accumulating 15 draft picks in the first three rounds over the next three seasons, showing that their desire is to build a good team for the future beyond the years of Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin.
Now, that could mean some big names are on the way out in the near future, and top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman has speculated that could involve moving Erik Karlsson, whom the team acquired from the San Jose Sharks last off-season.
Unfortunately, things just haven't worked out with EK65 in Pittsburgh, and during the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman speculates that a deal with the Dallas Stars could make sense as a landing spot for the veteran blue liner.
After this season, Karlsson has two more with a salary cap hit of $11.5 million, and as Friedman mentions, that could be a major roadblock in any potential trade, but with 40 points in 59 games played this season, the 34-year old can clearly still contribute at a high level in the NHL.
With injuries, the Stars are currently playing Cody Ceci, Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba on their right side, and while Nils Lundqvist and Miro Heiskanen will both return at some point this season, it's clear that the Stars need help on their right side, and if the two teams can make the money work, Karlsson could be a good solution to their issues.
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