It’s genuinely the lull of the NHL Offseason. There are not any arbitration hearings, as all of the players have recent contracts. There are only a handful of RFAs, including Mason McTavish, Marco Rossi, and Luke Hughes, in search of recent deals. Nevertheless, there’s some speculation concerning the fate of Erik Karlsson with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Dating back to last season, there was talk concerning the Penguins potentially moving on from Karlsson. He has never really fit into the Penguins’ system. Though his numbers will not be terrible, Karlsson just isn’t the 100-point player he was with the San Jose Sharks. However the speculation grows, and considered one of the teams linked to Erik Karlsson has been the Detroit Red Wings.
As Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com and Full Press Hockey discussed with Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now on a recent episode of the Full Press NHL Podcast, is there a fit for Erik Karlsson on the Detroit Red Wings?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Carter Hart and Erik Karlsson
Jim Biringer: “I saw a few articles drop that you just had, where they were talking about Erik Karlsson, Nazem Kadri’s names have come out, and mentioned the Wings. But do you actually see matches with those two players on that team? I mean, it doesn’t feel like Kadri goes anywhere. But looks like Karlsson and Detroit seems to all the time come up.”
Bob Duff: “I just don’t see the fit with Karlsson, partially due to the salary, but mostly because, at this stage of his profession where he’s going to assist a team mostly goes to be on the ability play. And the Red Wings had an incredible power play last 12 months. So why would you need to mess with that? I believe their problem is five-on-five goals, and I still don’t know where they’re going to get five-on-five goals this 12 months, because they really didn’t usher in anything aside from (James) van Reimsdyk.
But again, he’s a man that has just about made hay on the ability play, like he’s not going to attain. I don’t think lots of five-on-five goals. So I just don’t see, and from Karlsson’s viewpoint, why would he want to come back here? Like, for those who’re at this stage of your profession, don’t you need to attempt to win the Stanley Cup, and also you don’t wish to go to a team that, even in the event that they made the playoffs, they’re still probably quite a number of years away from where you could possibly say they were a cup contender.”
As Duff mentions, the Red Wings don’t wish to move their top prospects, which is something a team just like the Penguins would love in exchange for Karlsson. Not to say, why mess with a very good thing? Much like the Penguins power play, where the units were clicking on all cylinders, Pittsburgh took a step back on the person advantage when Karlsson was added to the fold. There is simply a lot puck to go around. Just look what happened in San Jose when Brent Burns and Karlsson were there together.
NHL Rumors: The Erik Karlsson Trade Speculation Continues
The fit isn’t there because, realistically, are the Detroit Red Wings a playoff team this season? In the event that they are, perhaps they revisit it on the trade deadline, but in the event that they aren’t, why would Karlsson wish to go to Detroit?
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