Nothing much is going on around the league right now. We’ve reached the boring point in the off-season where nothing really happens, and rumors have gone quiet for the most part.
However, I need to write about something, so let’s talk about Erik Karlsson some more because that’s the only exciting thing going on with the Pens right now.
Now, there is some updated news regarding these rumors that I found interesting, which gives me something to write about. Before we discuss it, let’s review it.
4 teams are rumored to be in the mix still. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and the Seattle Kraken, along with the Pens. The Canes and Pens are the two favorites to land the three-time Norris Trophy winner. Talks seem to be at a halt, but some new info has been released that could poise that a deal with the Pens could be coming soon.
Per TSN, both captain Sidney Crosby and star number one defenseman Kris Letang have let GM Kyle Dubas know that they want this deal to happen. Letang has even informed Dubas that he would give up his spot on the top power play for Karlsson if he ends up here.
Now let’s keep in mind Sharks GM Mike Grier has made it known he does not want to retain 50% of Karlsson’s salary, and even the Sharks retaining 20% would still make the Pens have to take $9.2 million of his cap hit. The Pens also have no cap space, so it will be interesting to see how Dubas could make this deal work.
