Trade rumors involving Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander and San Jose Sharks Defenseman Erik Karlsson have surfaced. While most insiders are not connecting the two players in a trade to their respective teams, one Toronto-based journalist is and notes that his sources suggest the two teams have actually talked about a deal between the Sharks and Maple Leafs.
Howard Berger tweeted that in discussions — however limited they might be — Nylander is a key part of the conversations. According to the journalist (and you may not agree), landing Karlsson could potentially end the Maple Leafs’ 56-year Stanley Cup drought. However, it is unclear whether it is the Maple Leafs or the Sharks driving the inclusion of Nylander in the talks.
While the Maple Leafs were previously linked to Karlsson, that was said to be when Kyle Dubas was the general manager of the team. Now, no one should doubt a report that Brad Treliving might have called to get a lay of the land, but it’s hard to imagine the Leafs are still actively pursuing this. They’ve sign John Klingberg to a one-year deal, and Treliving has been very open about wanting to keep contracts short so that the Leafs have flexibility over the next couple of summers.
Furthermore, reports by multiple trusted sources suggest this is now a two-horse race for Karlsson, citing the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins as the primary contenders for the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman’s services.
This would be a complicated trade
Trade scenarios can be complex, involving strategic and financial considerations, and the involvement of key players like Nylander adds another layer of complexity. For the Sharks, they would need to know his future plans, especially if the Leafs will try to push Matt Murray’s contract on the team as part of any deal. There would be salary retention in Karlsson’s case, and it’s not clear how much. The Leafs might need to move other pieces around to make it all work, especially if they retain salary on Murray and the Sharks buy him out after the deal.
For Maple Leafs fans hoping for a Stanley Cup victory, the potential acquisition of Karlsson could provide a significant boost to the team’s aspirations. However, at this point, it seems that the Maple Leafs are not actively in the mix, leaving the Hurricanes and Penguins as the leading contenders for Karlsson’s highly sought-after talents.
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