The 33-year-old confirmed speaking with several teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Seattle Kraken, and Toronto Maple Leafs, among others. Karlsson expressed his desire to join a contending team after an impressive season with a career-high 25 goals and 101 points.
However, the trade may present challenges due to his hefty $11.5-million cap hit, full no-move clause, and four years remaining on his contract. The Hurricanes appear to have the most cap space among the teams Karlsson has spoken with.