So the Ottawa Senators are beginning to field calls for captain Erik Karlsson.
What a difference a year makes in Canada’s capital, eh?
Last year, the Sens were on their way to an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Final. This season, well, let’s just say that it has been downright dreadful.
Heading into Wednesday night’s action, Ottawa had recorded the third fewest points in the National Hockey League. Only perennial doormats Arizona and Buffalo have fewer points.
If Senators general manager Pierre Dorion — who recently signed a three-year contract extension with the club — wants to start a rebuild in the capital, then trading Karlsson for a bevy of draft picks and prospects is a no-brainer.
There has been speculation that Ottawa might wait until the NHL draft this summer to move the two-time Norris Trophy winner. But I think the Sens will be able to get a lot more in return for Karlsson before the Feb. 26 trade dealdine compared to what they’d receive this summer.
NHL teams who believe that they are serious Stanley Cup contenders are more likely to overpay for the talented Swedish defenceman, knowing that they will have Karlsson for this year’s playoffs and all of next season when he will earn just $6.5 million.
I say just 6.5 mil because Karlsson is going to get a massive raise in 2019.
Tampa Bay has been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Karlsson. Can you imagine him playing on the league-leading Lightning? If that happens, you might as well hand the Bolts the Cup right now.
Other intriguing — albeit because of the salary cap, unlikely — destinations (aside from Toronto, of course) include Boston where he’d play alongside towering blueliner Zdeno Chara, with PK Subban in Nashville, in Winnipeg with big Dustin Byfuglien, or with Brent Burns in San Jose.
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