archromat

"Quasi GM"

Moncton, NB • Canada • 37 Years Old • Male

Pros and Cons of Trading Erik Karlsson

Well these rumours are a surprise.

One deflected shot in the playoffs to win vs. Penguins, plus capitalizing on Rinne's terribad performance in the Stanley Cup Finals last year, the Sens win the cup with that Cinderella run.

Now they're burning on the other side of the rift of fire and screaming out to Lazarus, "Help, help! We're in tribulation!"

So is it a good idea to move Karlsson? Let's see.

Pro: Chance to get rid of that lousy Bobby Ryan contract.

At least half of it, cuz nobody's gonna take that on, simply because they literally can't.

Con: Not gonna get much for offers if Ryan's contract is coupled with it.

For a fringed top six winger who is barely worth 2M right now? They'd have to at least eat half his remaining salary.

Pro: Chance to hit reset and get a blue chip prospect or two that turn into future stars.

Con: Asking price would be like a 1st round this year, and two more former first round picks, as well as some roster guys. Too many questions around Karlsson to pay that: has he lost game? Is he just going to ditch the team that trades for him after they sack their cupboards?

Pro: You may lose him for nothing next year, so why not raid someone's cupboards now?

Con: Fans will chase you with torches and pitchforks and turn you into the scapegoat and you'll pretty much have no career if you get fired from this job if you botch this deal so... you know, no pressure.

Pro: Are you planning on being competitive in the next three years? Now's your chance to move your franchise's window.

Con: Your offers in midseason are usually going to be for picks and prospects, so don't expect roster players aplenty.

Pro: Wait until summer until teams can sign an extension with him, he might be more valuable, but then you can talk about getting serious proven talent back.

Con: Wait until summer and he has one year left as a rental and refuses to sign an extension because he wants his moment to be "princess" and get courted and shown the money, so he loses value as a one year rental rather than a two year rental.

I don't think they'll move Karlsson, but instead, in the first week of July or maybe during draft week, you might see the conversation begin again. What, to me, prevents a deal from being done until Monday is salary manoeuvring (and this is not including Bobby Ryan), which is difficult to pull off in the matter of days.

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