Report: Erik Karlsson "Vehemently Against" One Team Trying To Acquire Him

It's pretty common knowledge by this point that the San Jose Sharks are going to be trading defending Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. It's also equally well-known that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes are the two finalists bidding for his services.

But Mark Madden of the TribLIVE podcast dropped a new bomb on us on Monday, stating that Karlsson wants no part of the Hurricanes:

I’ve also been told Karlsson is vehemently against going to Carolina. He hates (former Sharks defenseman) Brent Burns and thinks their style sucks. And their style does suck.

"Hates," "Style sucks," "vehemently against" it. Those are some pretty strong terms. If Karlsson is indeed that opposed to going to Carolina, it would seem that the Penguins are indeed in the driver's seat here.

And Madden says it just makes sense that the 100-point D-man goes to Pittsburgh.

“The Penguins play exactly like Karlsson does. And I mean that in the most flawed possible way,” Madden laughed. "It is a perfect fit, if you just ignore the fact that they'll be even worse defensively. And they weren't that great defensively to begin with."

He went on to add that Karlsson, in direct contrast to his feelings for Burns and the 'Canes, is actually already buddies with the Pens' Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby.

Sounds like a deal to the Penguins is fairly inevitable at this point, though Madden says it all comes down to when the Sharks finally "crack."