2 Trade Destinations That Make Sense for Penguins’ Erik Karlsson

2 teams that make sense for an Erik Karlsson trade this summer

The Pittsburgh Penguins are doing their best to try to peddle Erik Karlsson and his huge $10M cap hit this summer. Which teams would make the most sense to deal for the former Norris Trophy winner?

The Karlsson trade was the first big move of GM Kyle Dubas's tenure in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2023, and it has been anything but a success, as he dropped from 102 points with the San Jose Sharks in the 2022-23 season to just 56 points in his first year with the Penguins, and down to 53 this past season, with a minus-24 rating. Even aside from the precipitous drop in his offensive game, it's his defense that remains an issue.

Which teams make the most sense for an Erik Karlsson trade?

An analysis from Tristin McKinstry in Clutch Points has identified two teams that could/should take a shot at bringing in Karlsson.

Carolina Hurricanes

The most important factor for any team bringing in Karlsson would be having an elite defensive presence to pair him with, allowing him to take more chances and better exploit his offensive game. That being said, as McKinstry notes, there are not many better defensive defenseman anywhere in the NHL than Jaccob Slavin.

Karlsson is no longer the 'superstar' he once was, but he could be a dynamic presence in the right situation. In addition, 40-year-old Brent Burns, also far from the star he used to be, will be leaving a hole on the right side of the Canes' blueline that Karlsson could fill.

Florida Panthers

It's possible that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions may be losing a huge part of their blueline, with Aaron Ekblad likely to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1. Karlsson could certainly replace his offense in Florida, and fill his right-shot void.

And for any concern about Karlsson's defense, how about pairing him up with Gustav Forsling, who might be the only one to top Slavin for the title of best defensive D-man in the league. He has an insane plus/minus of +166 in his five years with the Panthers. Imagine what Karlsson could do if he was free to roam with Forsling covering for him. As McKinstry writes, Karlsson "could rack up the assists playing behind a forward group consisting of names such as Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Sam Reinhart".