4 Karlsson mock trades to SEA, TOR, PIT and CAR.

 4 Karlsson Trade scenarios

Now we have recently gotten some comments from one of the biggest trade candidates in the NHL right now in Erik Karlsson when he did a interview a couple days ago with a Swedish report over in Sweden, and there were definitely some interesting comments, as he said that he would really liked to be moved by training camp and have a chance to be on a team ready to compete for the Cup this year and doesn’t really want to be on the Sharks anymore, and he also did say that he had talked to a few teams about a potential trade and although it does sound like he has had some discussions with more teams, he did mention 4 teams he talked to and those 4 teams would be the Leafs, Kraken, Canes and Pens. Now at various points in time we have heard each of these 4 teams and with these comments coming from Karlsson himself, it means there is a very good chance these 4 teams are seriously considering a Karlsson trade, and I decided I would make mock trades for each of these 4 teams in this blog post talking about what I think these 4 teams would need to give up to make a Karlsson trade work not only in a return but also cap wise as I think it would be difficult for all 4 teams to get the Norris trophy winner, but I think there is a way to make it work both in a return and cap wise and without further ado, here is my mock trades for Karlsson going to Seattle, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Carolina. 

Note* for each mock trade I have the Sharks retaining 26% on Karlsson's contract (or around $3 Million dollars) and I also have both the Sharks and the acquiring team giving a third team a 4th round pick each for retaining 12% (or just under $1 Million dollars)  on Karlsson to drop Karlsson’s AAV down to just under $7.5 for the acquiring team.

1. To Pittsburgh 

Penguins: get EK65 (at a $7.49 Million cap hit with 26% retained by SJ and 12% retained by 3RD Team)

3RD Team: gets two 2024 4TH round picks (one from each team) for retaining 12% of Karlsson's contract

and Sharks: get top 10 protected 2024 1RD pick, 2025 2RD pick, Sam Poulin, Ty Smith and Marcus Pettersson.

Corresponding move: Petry and/or Granlund are either moved in a separate deal or are bought out.

Analysis: now before Karlsson’s comments, a lot of people were thinking that Pittsburgh was the front runner and were the team that would most likely wind up with him, and personally I still think the Penguins will most likely get Karlsson as I think he could fit well there and would have a spot, and although they have to give up a lot I think it would be worth it. Now if you look at what the three teams get, I think it is a good trade all around. Now for Pittsburgh they get the star player in the deal in Karlsson and they get him for only $7.5 Million dollars which I think is a Pretty good deal for Pittsburgh and he can slot onto the 2nd pair behind Letang and quarterback the top power play unit and I think he would thrive in Pittsburgh and would definitely make the Pens better. Now the third team gets two 4th round picks for retaining $1 Million on Karlsson which I think is good value to help facilitate the trade and I would think a Chicago or Philly would most likely be team 3 to help get draft capital, and finally I think the Sharks get a good return here. now they get two draft picks in the next two years, they get a top 10 protected 2024 1st round pick that would give Pittsburgh some security should they miss the playoffs and a 2nd rounder in 2025, they also get two young players in Poulin and Smith who are both former first round picks with some potential left, as I feel Poulin could be a solid 2nd or 3rd line forward in San Jose while Smith is a solid defender and with a little more growing, should round out as a solid 2nd or 3rd pair defensemen, and they also get Marcus Pettersson who the Penguins like and don't want to move but I think might have to in order to get Karlsson, now Pettersson has two years left on his contract at $4.03 Million and has done well in a second pair role in Pittsburgh and I think could be a good defensemen for next year in San Jose and if he continues to play well, they could move him before his contract expires for a decent return, so all in all the Sharks get a 1st and 2nd round pick, two former 1st round picks and a decent defensemen for Karlsson. Now the Penguins would still need to clear cap space so I would expect them to make a corresponding move to get rid of one or possibly both of Granlund and Petry. Now they will get a 2nd buyout window soon and I wonder if Pittsburgh may consider a buyout for one of those two as Granlund has 2 years left at $5 Million dollars while Petry has 2 years at $6.25 Million, and a buyout would save $4.1 Million if they bought out Granlund and $3.25 Million for next year if they bought out Petry, so that could be a option but it sounds like Petry who was rumored to possibly be in a package to San Jose wouldn't waive hie modified no trade clause to go there, so Pittsburgh would likely move him to another team and buyout Granlund and if they moved those guys they would indeed be cap compliant, so that's my speculated trade package for Karlsson going to Pittsburgh and I would love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments below.

2. To Carolina

Canes: get EK65 (at a $7.49 Million cap hit with 26% retained by SJ and 12% retained by 3RD Team)

3RD Team: gets two 2024 4TH round picks (one from each team) for retaining 12% of Karlsson's contract

and Sharks: get top 10 protected 2024 1RD pick, 2025 2RD pick, 2024 3RD pick, Jack Drury and Dominik Fensore.

Corresponding move: Teravainen or Pesce are moved in a separate deal.

Analysis; Now just like Pittsburgh, since the Karlsson talks have started linking him to teams, the Canes have been one of the teams mentioned, as around the deadline they were mentioned as one of the teams who had some serious interest and they are still being linked to him as one of the two teams to most likely land him, and although they do seem to have some serious interest in bringing in the offensive defensemen, I do have my doubts about him heading to Carolina. Now in my eyes all 3 teams benefit in this mock trade, as we start in Carolina where they get the best player in Karlsson of the deal and once again they are able to get him at a reasonable price of only $7.5 Million dollars on the cap, but unlike the Penguins I have a hard time figuring out where he fits in the Canes lineup as the Hurricanes got Burns from San Jose last offseason and in their first season apart from each other both Burns and Karlsson had fantastic seasons, so given the fact that they didn't work overly well together in San Jose I do find it a bit weird that they could play together again, but if Karlsson does go to Carolina I think he would be on pair two most likely with one of Orlov or Skjei and he may have to play on PP 2 as Burns did well last year on PP 1 and i think he would want to remain there, but it does give Carolina a game breaking scorer that they desperately need on that team and would definitely improve the Canes team, while the Third team once again gets a couple of 4th round picks for eating $1 Million of Karlsson's contract which i think would also be good for that team, but the haul from San Jose isn't too shabby either. Now just like Pittsburgh, the Sharks get a top 10 protected 2024 1st round pick and a 2nd round pick in 2025 which would be some pretty good draft capital, now I also put a 3rd round pick in here and the reason I did that was because I think there is a strong possibility that the Canes would want to move Teravainen or Pesce in the trade to free up cap space, but both have trade protection and could block a move to San Jose, so if they don't move either to San Jose, then I feel they would move a 3rd round pick instead, and the Sharks also get two good young players. Now first with Drury, he has said that he wants more of a role and would welcome a trade, and while he isn't a fantastic A level prospect, he is a player who is NHL ready right now and I think could eventually be a solid 3rd line Center in San Jose, while they also get D prospect Fensore who is probably the Canes best D prospect, and coming off back to back 30 point seasons in college, I think in a year or two he could be NHL ready and i think long term he could be a solid top 4 defender, so the Sharks get 3 good draft picks and 2 solid young players in the deal and if Carolina isn't able to move one of Teravainen or Pesce in the trade, then I would expect one of them to be moved for cap reasons to another team, and that should get them to be cap compliant, but that's my EK65 to Canes mock trade, and i would love to hear what you think in the comments. 

3. To Seattle

Kraken: get EK65 (at a $7.49 Million cap hit with 26% retained by SJ and 12% retained by 3RD Team)

3RD Team: get two 2024 4TH round picks (one from each team) for retaining 12% of Karlsson's contract

and Sharks: get top 10 protected 2024 1RD pick, 2025 2RD pick, Jani Nyman, Caden Price as well as taking on Chris Driedger or Justin Schultz.

Corresponding move: Kraken either move Alex Wennberg to another team or buy him out.

Analysis: now at the very beginning of free agency there was a third team that was rumored to be in the Karlsson sweepstakes and that was Seattle but just a couple of days after free agency began it wounded like the Kraken were out on EK65 even though Friedman said on one of his podcasts that the Kraken were definitely in trade discussions and were serious about getting him, and now their name has popped up again and I still think Karlsson could do well in Seattle. Now once again I think all 3 teams involved do good here, first with Seattle they get the best player in the trade in Karlsson who I personally think would do well in Seattle. Now Karlsson in my eyes could slot in on the second pair in Seattle and I think would work really well with recent signing Dumoulin on pair 2 as Dumoulin is a solid defensive defender and I think putting Karlsson with him would work out well and I also think he could be on PP1 in Seattle with Dunn being on PP2, so I do see a fit their and for a team who needs a game breaking scorer, I think Seattle would be a great fit for Karlsson. And once again team 3 eats $1 Million of Karlsson's deal for 2 4th round draft picks which I think is still fair value, but as for the Sharks return, it may be the best yet. So just like the two above, the Sharks get a return including a 2024 top ten protected 1st round pick and a 2025 2nd round pick in the package, but when it comes to quality players they could offer, I think Seattle could easily top the other two teams we discussed and while I could see 4-5 different prospects possibly be included in the deal, I think the Sharks get Nyman and Price. Now Nyman was a 2nd round pick two years ago and looks like he is a year or two away from competing for a roster spot, but I think he does have the potential to be a middle six forward at the NHL level, while Price was a 3rd young pick this year and really fell into Seattle's laps and I think he could eventually be a solid offensive 2nd pair D-Men, and the Sharks also take money back in either Driedger or Schultz, as both make over $3 Million dollars and are in the final year of their deals so I think the Sharks would have to take at least one on, but all in all that would be a solid package for San Jose as they would get 2 picks as well as 2 solid prospects and a decent player in a return, which could arguably be the best return here, and the Kraken would most likely have to move on contract that San Jose doesn't take whether it is Driedger or Schultz or maybe even Wennberg or possibly buying out Wennberg, but move one of those guys as well as one to Seattle and they would be cap compliant, so it would definitely be interesting but I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

4. To Toronto 

Maple Leafs: get EK65 (at a $7.49 Million cap hit with 26% retained by SJ and 12% retained by 3RD Team) + a 2025 3RD pick

3RD Team: get two 2024 4TH round picks (one from each team) for retaining 12% of Karlsson's contract

and Sharks: get top 10 protected 2024 1RD pick, William Nylander with a 6 year contract extension in place at a cap hit of $9.5 Million, Matt Murray and Nick Robertson.

Corresponding move: Leafs either move T.J Brodie to another team or buy him out.

Analysis: Now this I have seen be thrown out there more on social media then by actually insiders but even though I think it is a interesting landing spot for Karlsson to possibly go, I personally don't see it happening, but could the cap strapped Maple Leafs possibly find someway to bring in Karlsson to help that team out on the blueline and maybe make that blueline a little more lethal to play against. Now this trade would be a bit different then the ones mentioned above in the things going to both Toronto and to San Jose, but starting with Toronto is the same starting package of Karlsson going to them and once again it is at a reasonable price of $7.5 Million and the Leafs in my eyes could put Karlsson on the top power play unit to quarterback it and continue to help on the power play while I think the Leafs could put Karlsson on pair one with maybe McCabe and have them be the top pair in Toronto with Reilly being on Pair 2 and I think that would help improve the Leafs blueline and help give the team a solid number 1 offensive defender and I also have the Sharks giving the Leafs a 2025 3rd round pick as well so the Leafs make out pretty well here getting Karlsson and a pick in my opinion, while team 3 once again gets two 4th round picks for retaining $1 Million on his contract so a solid move for whoever helps facilitate the deal, but the return to San Jose is actually quite good in my opinion. So once again the Sharks get a top 10 protected 2024 1st round pick which gives them a solid pick for next year, then they take on the final year of the Matt Murray contract from Toronto that will either be LTIR eligible or can be buried in the AHL, then they get Nick Robertson who is a solid young player for Toronto who has had a injury riddled career so far but I think could still be a solid 3rd or 2nd line forward in the NHL so a solid pickup there for San Jose and then they also get Nylander. Now Nylander and the Leafs contract negotiations have not gone well so far and I think that if Nylander continues to ask for $10 Million then the Leafs may have to trade him and with now all star wingers on the Sharks right now, Nylander could be the go to guy in San Jose which I think he would like and this deal would also include Nylander signing a 6 year $9.5 Million dollar extension to remain in San Jose beyond this year, so the Sharks get a star top 6 forward, a solid middle six forward and a 1st round pick as well as Murray's contract which I think would be pretty decent for them, but let me hear your thoughts in the comments.

So those are my thoughts on Possible Karlsson trades in my eyes to those 4 teams, and I would definitely like to hear if you agree with me, or think there should be more or less in a trade then I had down in the comments and I hope you like my trade proposals in this blog post.