View Single Post
Old 02-21-2018, 05:52 PM   #1
sureLoss
Some kinda newsbreaker!
 
sureLoss's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Learning Phaneufs skating style
Exp:
Icon37 Ottawa fully exploring trading Karlsson

Think this needs to be split from the rumor thread as this appears to be the biggest topic going through the trade deadline:

McKenzie's take on the Karlsson talk:

https://www.tsn.ca/sens-considering-...ions-1.1006645

Quote:
From the Senators’ perspective, though, this is a franchise player, one of the top three players in the entire game. If he’s to be traded, the return must reflect that. The Senators will be looking for a veritable king’s ransom.

To the best of our knowledge, the Senators have not received formal offers on Karlsson. The discussions that have taken place thus far were more Dorion laying out the general parameters of what a Karlsson deal would need to look like from Ottawa’s end.

There’s been talk of it taking five or six or maybe seven pieces that could include some combination of good, young roster players, top prospects and first-round picks.

And Bobby Ryan.

Bobby Ryan?

The Senators have let it be known that the number of notable pieces in the price could be discounted somewhat if Ryan and his contract are taken on as part of any Karlsson deal. The oft-injured, soon-to-be 31-year-old, who has never scored for Ottawa the way he did for Anaheim, has another four years on a contract that pays him $7.5 million per season with an annual cap hit of $7.25 million.

The Senators know full well that the “Ryan provision” could severely limit the number of Karlsson contenders; that some teams simply aren’t in a position to take on Ryan’s salary or cap hit at the deadline, even if the plan would be to buy out Ryan in the off-season.

And the Senators also know that their tangible hockey return on a Karlsson trade would be lessened if Ryan is included, but that would be the cost of doing business, the cost of getting Ryan’s money off the books for the next four years.

A potential Karlsson trade does not absolutely have to include Bobby Ryan. Not at all. But if it doesn’t, the price is that much higher.

And Karlsson isn’t being traded to simply facilitate a Ryan contract dump. It’s merely an opportunity for Ottawa to perhaps get out from under Ryan’s contract while still getting a notable return on Karlsson.

Karlsson being available right now “for the right price” is a seismic development leading up the trade deadline. A healthy Karlsson playing at his peak could be a game changer for so many teams.

Quote:
So who’s in?

Well, as mentioned, it’s believed more than a half-dozen teams have either been in contact with Ottawa or perhaps have been contacted by the Senators. What’s difficult, if not impossible to tell at this time, is what any one team’s legitimate level of interest is.

For now, it’s too soon to separate the serious buyers from tire-kickers. Also, a team could mistakenly get labelled as an interested buyer simply by having players or prospects Ottawa would like to get and answering a phone call from the Senators.

There’ll be no end of speculation on who could, would or should be in on Karlsson.

Tampa Bay, of course, will lead the way on the speculative front.

The Lightning are a legitimate Cup contender. Karlsson would be precisely the type of impact defenceman the Lightning could use and to potentially have him for not one, but two, runs at the Stanley Cup could be noteworthy.

Tampa would not appear to be able to take on the Ryan contract. That seems a non-starter because of salary cap considerations. But Ryan isn’t an essential piece of the puzzle either. It just would mean the non-Ryan price would be that much higher.

So who would Ottawa want from Tampa?

Mikhail Sergachev? Brayden Point? Both?

The Bolts are loaded with other prospects and picks and could deal in volume, but if the ask includes a blossoming front-line centre such as Point, well, filling one hole on the blueline would be creating another significant one up front.

You can see where this is going.

Legitimate Cup contenders, as much as they would love to add Karlsson to their blueline now, are not likely keen on giving up any significant pieces from their current roster that have brought them to the level of legit contender.

So would the Lightning be one of the teams potentially interested in Karlsson? You would have to think so, but could they or would they consider paying such a steep price on the eve of a playoff run?

What say you, Steve Yzerman?

It’s believed the first-blush, broad-brush reaction to the general parameters laid out by Dorion is that the price is far too steep. It may be the “ask” from Ottawa is so over the moon, one could legitimately ask if Karlsson is really available. If so, this “Karlsson could be traded by Monday” fever could be short-lived.

Let there be no illusion here — that could turn out to be the case.

https://twitter.com/user/status/966432781566853120

edit:
Chris Johnston on sportsnet is also saying there is a feeling that there is no chance Karlsson is back next season.

Last edited by sureLoss; 02-21-2018 at 05:55 PM.
sureLoss is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to sureLoss For This Useful Post: