Chris Johnston just said Erik Karlsson makes sense for the Hurricanes, and the Maple Leafs are part of the conversation too.
Karlsson is 36 and has 19 points in 19 games for the Penguins, which keeps his name at the top of Pittsburgh's trade board. The market for him is starting to take shape tonight.
Johnston said Carolina makes sense for Karlsson and pointed back to something Pierre LeBrun reported this week. He also noted there's been talk about Toronto.
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On the Toronto side, Johnston said Karlsson makes sense for the Leafs. He just isn't sure Toronto will be in a position to make the deal.
There's also a personal angle. Daniel Alfredsson is on the Leafs' coaching staff and has a close relationship with Karlsson, and Alfredsson spent his NHL career with the Senators and Red Wings. Ottawa drafted Karlsson 15th overall in 2008.
Carolina is the easier fit to explain. The Hurricanes are 15-3-2, first in the NHL, and won in Seattle on Thursday night. They play the Kraken again Saturday.
Timing matters here too. As we noted when Pierre LeBrun reported on Karlsson's January talks, the Penguins and his camp will likely sit down then to map out next steps.
Would Erik Karlsson actually help the Maple Leafs?
Not in the way Toronto needs right now. The Leafs are 8-11-2, have lost five straight and fell 5-2 to the Wild on Thursday night.
A 36-year-old defenseman with a -8 rating doesn't fix a team sitting 23rd in the NHL. He might look great next to Alfredsson's friendship, but that's a lot of resources for a team that first has to stop the skid.
Money is part of this as well. Karlsson carries an $11.5 million cap hit, and the contract expires at the end of this season, when he becomes a UFA.
That's a short commitment, which helps any suitor. It also means he's a rental, and rentals make the most sense for teams that can win now. Right now that sounds a lot more like Carolina than Toronto, as Karlsson's emergence as Pittsburgh's top trade chip became clear earlier this week. The Hurricanes and Leafs both play Saturday.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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