It’s genuinely the lull of the NHL Offseason. There aren’t any arbitration hearings, as all of the gamers have new contracts. There are solely a handful of RFAs, together with Mason McTavish, Marco Rossi, and Luke Hughes, in search of new offers. Nevertheless, there may be some hypothesis concerning the destiny of Erik Karlsson with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Relationship again to final season, there was speak concerning the Penguins probably transferring on from Karlsson. He has by no means actually match into the Penguins’ system. Although his numbers usually are not horrible, Karlsson is just not the 100-point participant he was with the San Jose Sharks. However the hypothesis grows, and one of many groups linked to Erik Karlsson has been the Detroit Crimson Wings.
As Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com and Full Press Hockey mentioned with Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now on a latest episode of the Full Press NHL Podcast, is there a match for Erik Karlsson on the Detroit Crimson Wings?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Carter Hart and Erik Karlsson
Jim Biringer: “I noticed a few articles drop that you just had, the place they have been speaking about Erik Karlsson, Nazem Kadri’s names have come out, and talked about the Wings. However do you actually see matches with these two gamers on that workforce? I imply, it doesn’t really feel like Kadri goes wherever. However looks as if Karlsson and Detroit appears to at all times come up.”
Bob Duff: “I simply don’t see the match with Karlsson, partially due to the wage, however largely as a result of, at this stage of his profession the place he’s going to assist a workforce largely goes to be on the ability play. And the Crimson Wings had an incredible energy play final yr. So why would you need to mess with that? I feel their drawback is five-on-five targets, and I nonetheless don’t know the place they’re going to get five-on-five targets this yr, as a result of they actually didn’t usher in something apart from (James) van Reimsdyk.
However once more, he’s a man that has just about made hay on the ability play, like he’s not going to attain. I don’t assume lots of five-on-five targets. So I simply don’t see, and from Karlsson’s viewpoint, why would he need to come right 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 need to go to a workforce that, even when they made the playoffs, they’re nonetheless most likely fairly a couple of years away from the place you may say they have been a cup contender.”
As Duff mentions, the Crimson Wings don’t need to transfer their high prospects, which is one thing a workforce just like the Penguins would really like in alternate for Karlsson. To not point out, why mess with factor? Just like the Penguins energy play, the place the items have been clicking on all cylinders, Pittsburgh took a step again on the person benefit when Karlsson was added to the fold. There may be solely a lot puck to go round. Simply look what occurred in San Jose when Brent Burns and Karlsson have been there collectively.
NHL Rumors: The Erik Karlsson Commerce Hypothesis Continues
The match isn’t there as a result of, realistically, are the Detroit Crimson Wings a playoff workforce this season? If they’re, possibly they revisit it on the commerce deadline, but when they aren’t, why would Karlsson need to go to Detroit?
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