The Ottawa Senators have struggled to find ways to enhance their team. The saga involving Erik Karlsson continues this week, with the Senators still uncertain about trading Karlsson after he turned down their $80 million, eight-year contract extension offer. Reports indicated a potential trade with Tampa Bay, pending approval from the league.
However, suddenly, Dallas entered the picture but refused to include Miro Heiskanen in the deal, causing them to lose momentum. Tampa Bay then reemerged as a potential trade partner and signed Nikita Kucherov, with Steve Yzerman denying that a trade with Karlsson was ever close. Now, San Jose appears to be back in the running for the superstar, even though there is skepticism from NHL sources about whether the Sharks have the assets Ottawa is looking for.
According to Pagnotta, Tampa Bay is also still in the running, but any trade involving Karlsson would be complex given his impending free agency status. If San Jose reenters the trade talks for Karlsson, it could involve a conditional first-round pick, either Timo Meier or Tomas Hertl, and possibly more. San Jose’s pool of young tradeable talent is limited, making the trade risky due to Karlsson’s uncertain future, despite his undeniable talent.
The Senators are not the only team making bold moves this offseason, as the Montreal Canadiens are also engaging in trade discussions with Western teams.
