‘Up in the Air’: Karlsson Talks Possible Trade, Penguins Path

It is NHL trade rumor season. It’s a time of year when some of the biggest names in the league are rumored to be on the move, speculation abounds, and players are the unwitting subjects of conversations well beyond their control. Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson has been through this before.

And he understands he’s going through it again.

“So, it’s that time of year again,” he facetiously asked with an accepting laugh.

In the summer of 2023, Karlsson facilitated a trade (or demanded, pending your point of view) out of San Jose because the Sharks were embarking on a rebuild, and the then-33-year-old defenseman desperately wanted to win a Stanley Cup. There were high hopes that he could be a missing element to the aging Penguins core, revitalize the team, and reinvigorate their chase for the Cup.

That desire for his first Cup still burns hot, but the goal seems no closer as the Penguins teeter on the decision to take the long road back to being contenders–trading away players to restock future hopes. Karlsson is now 34 years old, and it’s a legitimate question whether he’s willing to endure a retool or restocking with a team that might not return to premier status within the window of his career.

“(Karlsson) has a lot of respect for the guys that have been here and have won Stanley Cups, and he obviously has aspirations to win the Cup. That’s why he came here,” said coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s hungry.”

Despite Karlsson’s benefits and potential benefits to the Penguins’ turnaround, their immediate needs are in question. So, with a fair warning to the player, Pittsburgh Hockey Now asked the land mine question.

Karlsson’s response was fair and honest.

“I think (a Stanley Cup) is what we all want to want to accomplish. I have zero. Some guys here have three, and I know they want to win just as badly as I do, you know,” said Karlsson. “So I think that’s a question that’s up in the air. There are some controllables, and there are some that aren’t. And I don’t really know where that (situation) is at right now.

“Right now, I’m just focused on trying to get in the playoffs for this year because I know if we have that opportunity, I think that this team is well equipped to do more than we probably could in an 82-game season.”

In other words, Karlsson believes the Penguins would be a better team in the playoffs than the regular season.

Over the past couple of months, Karlsson has returned to an elite level after an uneven first season with the Penguins and a disastrous start this season.

Karlsson has 30 points despite not running the Penguins’ top power-play unit. He’s a minus-7 on a team that has one of the worst goal differentials in the league and the worst in the Eastern Conference (minus-28). As evidence of the turnaround in Karlsson’s game, he has been a plus-7 since American Thanksgiving and has been a driver on a team in desperate need of more.

“I think (Karlsson) has played his best hockey as a Penguin in the last six-plus weeks. Some of the plays he makes offensively are elite. The (assist to Michael Bunting) in the Carolina game is an example. He made a similar play to (Bryan Rust) Tuesday night,” Sullivan said. “When he’s committed to winning puck battles, he wins them, however many different ways … he’s defending hard for us. Some of the plays he’s making offensively have really helped us.”

As trade rumors surround the Penguins, whose management and scouts are scouring the league looking for young players, prospects, and opportunities, Karlsson’s future is rightfully cloudy. He admitted that he controls part of the situation with a no-movement clause. In the same breath, he convincingly said his focus is on getting the Penguins to the playoffs.

The Penguins would surely have a puncher’s chance in the mediocre Eastern Conference, but getting there will be difficult as they continue to hemorrhage wins with blown leads. In the larger context, general manager Kyle Dubas has stated on multiple occasions that simply squeaking into the playoffs isn’t good enough.

Dubas and his staff have been scouting teams across the league with a ferocity not seen in some time. It seems Dubas is scouting different teams in different cities on a nightly basis.

No one except the big three should feel safe. The GM has signaled his willingness to punt this season if the organizational depth chart can be strengthened for the long term. However, Karlsson’s trade value might be a unique question as he carries a $10 million cap hit (San Jose held back about $1.5 million annually of his $11.5 million cap hit).

So, the door is open–to a few possibilities.