Could the Chicago Blackhawks be in on Erik Karlsson?

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Joshua Deeds
July 30, 2023 (0:08)

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It has been reported that Erik Karlsson has requested a trade to a competitive team in the NHL. Karlsson is not interested in being part of a rebuilding process in San Jose and has demanded a trade.

However, the Sharks are not willing to cover any of Karlsson's cap hit, making the potential trade more challenging.

Additionally, Karlsson would need to waive his no-trade clause for the trade to be official, making things even more complicated.

One solution to simplify the trade would be to involve a third team, such as the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks could assist in the trade by taking on talent and picks to help with cap space.

As stated in the sourced news report

According to this hypothetical deal, the Pittsburgh Penguins could acquire Karlsson, with the Sharks retaining $4.5 million (approximately 39%) of his contract. In return, the Sharks would receive promising young assets in Ty Smith, Sam Poulin, and the Penguins' 2025 second-round pick (or their first-round pick if the Penguins secure the Stanley Cup in 2024 or 2025). Simultaneously, the Blackhawks would acquire Jeff Petry, who has been rumored to prefer not playing in San Jose, and the Penguins' 2024 first-round pick, protected for the top five selections.

This could involve a cap dump of players like Jeff Petry or Mikael Granlund, whose contracts would require a high pick, such as the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2024 1st-round pick.

The main component of the hypothetical trade would involve sending Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh, with San Jose retaining 39% of his contract. In return, the Sharks would receive Ty Smith, Sam Poulin, and a 2025 2nd-round pick, or a 1st-round pick if the Penguins win the Stanley Cup this season.

According to an executive and scout referenced for this hypothetical trade, Granlund or Petry's contracts would also necessitate a high pick.

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