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Erik Karlsson's Trade Demands to the Penguins Release Publicly

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 7:33 PM ET

Erik Karlsson is one of a few Penguins likely on the move soon, and now the one thing the veteran blue liner wants in a new team has been officially revealed.

After missing the Stanley cup Playoffs for three straight seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins come into this off-season as sellers, with the trio of Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson becoming notable names in trade speculation.

While all three have a high likelihood of being moved as Kyle Dubas and the Penguins look towards the future, NHL Insider Frank Seravalli has suggested this off-season that Karlsson is the most likely of all to be moved in the summer.

Now, Seravalli has followed up on the speculation, revealing another key piece of this scenario, as the veteran NHL Insider notes the one demand that Karlsson has in potential trade talks.

According to Seravalli, Karlsson wants a chance to win, and given the contract that a team would potentially need to take on to bring him in, it's safe to say that only contending teams out there would be interested, with very little in it for teams that won't be chasing a Stanley Cup in the near future.

As of right now, there are very few teams around the NHL that could fit Karlsson in as well as giving him the opportunity to win, with Detroit, Dallas and Carolina three teams that fit the bill, with all three having rumoured interest in an upgrade on their blue line.

Ultimately, all the signs this off-season point to Karlsson being moved at some point before the 2025/26 campaign begins, and while the options are limited given his contract and his desire to win, there's no reason why a trade can't be made in the next few months.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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