The Reason Erik Karlsson's Trade Didn't Go Through Has Been Revealed
The trade deadline in the NHL this year was filled with a lot of action and speculation. One of the players who was rumored to be traded was Erik Karlsson, who has been having a great season and is currently the top scorer for all NHL defensemen. Since the San Jose Sharks are not in contention for the playoffs, it was believed that their general manager, Mike Grier, might consider trading Karlsson.
However, Karlsson claims that he was never approached by Grier with any potential trade options. It was reported that the Edmonton Oilers had expressed interest in acquiring Karlsson.
So why wasn't he traded?
According to TSN insider Pierre LeBrun, the Sharks and Oilers were not able to come to an agreement on the financial aspects of a potential trade. However, both sides may revisit the idea during the offseason when they have more financial flexibility. LeBrun explained
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"San Jose got calls from a couple of teams this season on Karlsson, one of them emerging publicly as Edmonton. The Oilers had more than a little interest, but it sounds like the Sharks' unwillingness to retain enough of Karlsson's remaining contract essentially stopped both teams from taking the conversations to the next level.
The rebuilding/re-tooling Sharks will listen again on Karlsson this offseason, no question about it. But again the biggest question will be: How much can the Sharks eat on those final four years to make a trade happen?"
The rebuilding/re-tooling Sharks will listen again on Karlsson this offseason, no question about it. But again the biggest question will be: How much can the Sharks eat on those final four years to make a trade happen?"
The Sharks are currently rebuilding and retooling their team, so it is likely that they will continue to consider trade options for Karlsson during the offseason. The biggest question for them will be how much of Karlsson's remaining contract they are willing to retain in order to facilitate a trade. LeBrun believes that the Sharks might have to eat up to 50% of his deal if they want to make a trade happen.
Despite Karlsson's excellent play this season, there is always the potential for his contract to become a burden as he ages. As a result, the Oilers are hesitant to take on a 32-year-old defenseman with a long-term, $11.5 million annual salary. Nevertheless, if the Sharks want to rebuild and re-stock their personnel, they should do everything they can to facilitate a deal with Karlsson.
| POLL | ||
12 MARS | 448 ANSWERS The Reason Erik Karlsson's Trade Didn't Go Through Has Been Revealed Did Grier make the right move by keeping Karlsson? | ||
| Yes | 134 | 29.9 % |
| No | 314 | 70.1 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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