Superstar Player Is Expected To Be Traded Soon

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Austin Sabourin
December 20, 2023 (10:26 PM)

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The era of Erik Karlsson officially concluded with the San Jose Sharks this past offseason when he was part of a blockbuster 3-team trade that sent him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In this complex deal, the Penguins traded goaltender Casey DeSmith and defenseman Jeff Petry to the Habs, who, in turn, sent Mike Hoffman to the Sharks.

However, despite Karlsson's stellar performance last season with the Sharks, where he notched a career-high 101 points, his first year with the Penguins seems to be following a different trajectory. Through 30 games, he has tallied six goals and 16 assists, putting him on pace for 60 points.

While a 60-point output is commendable for most defensemen in the NHL, it falls short of the expectations set by the bold trade orchestrated by the new Penguins president of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas.

Speculation has arisen about the Penguins possibly exploring a trade involving Karlsson. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now has hinted at this possibility, suggesting that the Penguins might be open to moving Karlsson less than a year after acquiring him in the significant deal with the Sharks.

Kingerski wrote,

"From this view of the church, it seems the Penguins could indeed trade Erik Karlsson. He's here to win, and if that's not going to happen, both sides could find a quick and amicable parting. Dubas could surely recoup the first and second-round picks the Penguins gave up in the deal, if not more, and even come out ahead. However, next summer is the more likely timeframe for that trade because of Karlsson's salary."

Presently, Karlsson is midway through his hefty eight-year contract signed with the Sharks, boasting an AAV of $11.5 million, making him one of the NHL's highest-compensated players today.