Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang Share Their Thoughts on an Erik Karlsson Trade

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Wade Messier
July 20, 2023 (3:04 PM)

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Rarely do we see players comment on trade rumors, especially when the rumors don't involve themselves. However, Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang seem to be disregarding that.

Crosby and Letang Approve of Karlsson Trade

According to a recent report by Rob Rossi of The Athletic, Crosby and Letang have voiced their support to Pittsburgh's front office regarding acquiring Karlsson.

"Captain Sidney Crosby and top defenseman Kris Letang have endorsed acquiring Karlsson. Letang would remain the Penguins' No. 1 defenseman and work on the top pairing. He is willing to change his role on the top power-play unit so Karlsson could quarterback it."

Rarely do we see players have this much say in a team's front office's decisions, but it's clear that Crosby and Letang are valued in Pittsburgh. Crosby was even included in Kyle Dubas' interview with Pittsburgh's top execs.

What Could a Trade Look Like?

If real NHL trades were as simple as making a mock trade, then almost anyone could be an NHL GM. We tried our best to envision what a successful Karlsson trade could look like, and this is what we came up with.

Pittsburgh Receives: Erik Karlsson (43% Retained), 2024 5th Round Pick

San Jose Receives: Jeff Petry, Casey DeSmith, Samuel Poulin, P.O Joseph, Emil Jarventie, 2024 1st Round Pick, 2026 2nd Round Pick

While it's a hefty price to give up on Pittsburgh's end, they would be receiving one of the NHL's best offensive defensemen for just $6,519,758 a year. San Jose on the other hand, would be rewarded handsomely for retaining almost 50% of Karlsson's deal.

While there's no way of knowing what goes on during trade talks, we had fun with this trade proposal.

As Seen on The Athletic