If Erik Karlsson were traded . . .

canucksfreak19

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Got suckered in to watching a segment on Sportsnet about what the return would have to be for the Sens to trade him. Of course the reporters didn't give an actual answer, but it did get me thinking. Karlsson is one of the 3-4 best hockey players in the world. What do you think the return would have to be?

I think 2-3 first round picks, and 2-3 good/top prospects, minimum.

This is only in regard to a trade this season where the team acquiring Karlsson would have him, theoretically for two playoff runs.
 
I think you are overrating him.

Return would be big, but not THAT big.

I'd agree. Even superstar vets like Crosby or Ovechkin wouldn't fetch that. To get that kind of return you'd need a younger guy who will be the franchise player for awhile, like McDavid or Matthews. Maybe.

3 or 4 best in the world? No. Defenseman? Maybe, but not top 3-4 overall. He's darn good but that East Coast bias is again putting him on too high of a pedestal. It's like Bergeron racking up Selkes out East when there are way better defensive forwards.

I'll just wait for the "Breaking NHL News" alert.................
 
I'd agree. Even superstar vets like Crosby or Ovechkin wouldn't fetch that. To get that kind of return you'd need a younger guy who will be the franchise player for awhile, like McDavid or Matthews. Maybe.

3 or 4 best in the world? No. Defenseman? Maybe, but not top 3-4 overall. He's darn good but that East Coast bias is again putting him on too high of a pedestal. It's like Bergeron racking up Selkes out East when there are way better defensive forwards.

I'll just wait for the "Breaking NHL News" alert.................




Karlsson is right behind Mcdavid and Crosby as best in the world. If he's not #3, he's #4/5 for sure.

Forget this year as he hasn't been the same and the team is a disaster (also, he's coming back from a major injury).

6 months ago most would have proclaimed him as a top 3-5 player pretty easily.
 
For what it's worth, after the playoffs wrapped up - The Hockey News had an article crowning him the 3rd best player in the world (behind Crosby & McDavid).

The package suggested by the OP: Nobody gets traded for that. Wouldn't happen.

If the Sens were serious about trading him.... I would think 1 or 2 draft picks, and 1 or 2 players.

Toronto sports radio (of course) has been chatting about this recently... if Karlsson really is on the block, could the Leafs make a move? If a trade were to happen, what would it look like?

Most of the talk was this: The Senators would be asking for William Nylander in the trade, and the Leafs would try to talk to them down to Mitch Marner. Assuming you could get the Sens to do a Marner-for-Karlsson swap, the Leafs would likely have to include a 1st round pick, and something else (either a prospect, or another pick).

If the ask (for example) was Marner, Kappanen, and a 1st: If I were running the Leafs, I would do that deal.



I should also mention - some of the talk with Karlsson though, is his ankle... the surgery... and "is he still as strong on his feet as he used to be (probably not) and will he ever be again (we don't know)"
 
I'm not sure how anyone could possibly rank EK outside of the top 5 in the world, regardless of position.
 
I'd agree. Even superstar vets like Crosby or Ovechkin wouldn't fetch that. To get that kind of return you'd need a younger guy who will be the franchise player for awhile, like McDavid or Matthews. Maybe.

3 or 4 best in the world? No. Defenseman? Maybe, but not top 3-4 overall. He's darn good but that East Coast bias is again putting him on too high of a pedestal. It's like Bergeron racking up Selkes out East when there are way better defensive forwards.

I'll just wait for the "Breaking NHL News" alert.................
I agree with all of this. He wouldn't fetch that high, but he would get a lot. Eastern bias does play a factor which is why some people have in the top three or four (worldwide) - that is way too high. I say he is easily top ten, and top two or three in terms of defensemen, in the world.

On another note, it would be sad day if the Sens lost him - he's a superstar, their franchise player and one of the classiest guy's in the league. Any team would love to have him.
 
He's going to be a 10 million dollar signing at least, so curious who has the flexibility to take on that kind of money.

I'm going with 1-2 roster players (at least 1 D-man), a prospect and a 1st round pick. and the catch will be finding roster players who want to play in one of the leagues highest tax markets for the cheapskate that is Eugene Melnyk.
 
The original poster is from Alberta, not east coast....just saying. However I live on the east coast and I am a leaf fan so I totally dislike the Sens right after the Habs. I watch lots of Sens games just to watch Karlsson. I also watch lots of games of west coast teams. He is damn good and I think definitely a top 5 NHL player. I can’t say world as I really know little about the KHL or other over seas leagues. For those on the West coast maybe you need to watch more Sens games to get a true appreciation for him. I love Doughy, Burns and lots more D over on the west coast and none are better than Karlsson.

I think he will fetch a big bounty, don’t think Nylander alone does it and I am a Leaf fan lol. Maybe Nylander and a 1st round pick. He will get a first round pick a proven player and a prospect. I don’t think he will be traded to the Leafs maybe the Pens or Detroit could pull it off. I think he will get moved with the Sens being a super budget team, they can’t afford him. Unless the Sens pick it up and make the playoffs I think he is moved before the trade deadline. I feel for the Sens fans.
 
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The original poster is from Alberta, not east coast....just saying. However I live on the east coast and I am a leaf fan so I totally dislike the Sens right after the Habs. I watch lots of Sens games just to watch Karlsson. I also watch lots of games of east coast teams. He is damn good and I think definitely a top 5 NHL player. I can’t say world as I really know little about the KHL or other over seas leagues. For those on the West coast maybe you need to watch more Sens games to get a true appreciation for him. I love Doughy, Burns and lots more D over on the west coast and none are better than Karlsson.

I think he fetched a big bounty, don’t think Nylander alone does it and I am a Leaf fan lol. Maybe Nylander and a 1st round pick. He will get a first round pick a proven player and a prospect. I think he will get moved as the Sens being a super budget team can’t afford him. Unless the Sens pick it up and make the playoffs I think he is moved before the trade deadline. I feel for the Sens fans.

I bolded a point there....

I think that sounds about right, but if the proven player is young & controllable (which is what Ottawa wants) the other prospect can go down in quality.

If he were being dealt to the Leafs (I'm just making this up) I would think it looks like Nylander + Kapanen, or Marner + Liljegren and a 1st (in additional to one of those pairs of players).

Note... I don't really know what the Leafs are projecting Liljegren & Kapanen to at this point - but I'm making something up based on the idea that Liljegren is a more valuable prospect to them than Kapanen is.

And again, yes, I'd make a deal like that (if I'm running the Leafs).
 
A few points:

1 Erik Karlsson is the best defenseman in the world. To me there is no argument. The debate comes how you rank 2-4.

2. Matt Duchene just netted Colorado a first, a second, a third, and three really good prospects. He is in the same contract situation as Karlsson, 1 1/2 years left. Does anyone think that Duchene is near as good/valuable a player as Karlsson?

3. Ottawa is in a tough spot, because he can rightly demand 11-12M per season, can the Sens put a good enough team around him if that's what it takes to sign him? His trade value diminishes as time goes on. That's why I put the caveat in how I did/
 
he wont be back in Ottawa... that's my opinion....... I read a lot of players dislike melynuk and that comment karlsson about no hometown discount was a shot at the owner

to come out and now publicly fire shots at the fans about moving the franchise to play elsewhere...who would support that owner and who knows whats said behind closed doors
https://www.tsn.ca/melnyk-senators-could-look-good-somewhere-else-1.945672


tickets must be very expensive in Ottawa because I know they have a hockey market


as for the return for karlsson , I think you may only get prospects or high draft picks
 
Since there is only 2 years left on his contract before he becomes a UFA, the return would be probably subject to Karlsson signing an extension with the team. Since he does have a modified NTC, it is probable that it would happen. However, the sticking point will be how much that extension would be, and for how long, since he'll want top dollar.

If Karlsson agrees to sign an extension at a reasonable amount, then the return could be quite significant. I wouldn't be surprised with a 1st, a player and 2 prospects, and a conditional 1st.

If the Sens were to try to trade Karlsson without an extension, I think will only get a 1st, a player and a prospect. The reason why it's so low is because of the difficulty it could be in signing Karlsson, and the potential for Karlsson to want to test free agency.

Melnyk/Dorion wanted Duchene bad, and gave up a lot for him.

I can also see the Sens settling for less if they don't believe Karlsson is in the long term plans for the team. Much like how they gave up Turris for very little, since he wasn't going to be re-signed, and they needed the cap space.

With Stone and Ceci to be re-signed, and Phaneuf and Ryan still on the books, cap space could be an issue, especially if they want to sign Duchene to an extension.

But if you are going to trade Karlsson, then it's time to blow up the team and do a full re-build, which I don't see happening. You don't have anyone else to build the team around, and you just traded away a ton of assets to get Duchene. They are going to stick it out with the path they are on, and tweak it however they can.

I think the Sens should focus their energy in moving Phaneuf and Ryan's contract, just to free up some cap space. But good luck.
 
To clarify, when I mentioned East Coast bias I meant in general, the media, fans etc, not the original poster.

And as far as Karlsson, I disagree he is top 5, here is who I would take over him as it stands today:

Crosby
McDavid
Matthews
Price
Kane
Doughty
Stamkos
Benn

But that's me.
 
Ottawa won't trade Karlsson to Toronto, the division rival next door. Not happening.

If by some miracle they did I would much rather see Marner traded than Nylander.
 
He's a great player but he's also looking for a big contract which will hurt his trade value quite a bit. No team is going to give up a ton of prospects and draft picks and then also need to sign Karlsson to a multi year contract that may be in the 70-80 million range.
 

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