Detroit Red Wings acquire Erik Karlsson from the Penguins: Here's what it would cost
Photo credit: Amy Irvin / Hockey Writers
Here's what it would cost for Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings to acquire the Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Red Wings need to do more. The rebuild has been long and calculated, but the clock is ticking. With nearly a decade out of the playoffs, the time for patience may be over.
Despite having a lot of cap space, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman hasn't been very active this summer.
Detroit Red Wings Linked To Erik Karlsson
Per B/R Open Ice, Karlsson could join the Wings if Yzerman is willing to send Carter Mazur or Shai Buium as well as a top-15 protected first-round draft pick.
Karlsson may not be the player he used to be: he's now 35 years old, has dropped his offensive production from over a hundred points two years ago to two straight seasons where he barely reached the 50-point mark.
He has two seasons left on his $11,500,000 AAV deal and is a pretty one-dimensional player.
But he remains one of the best offensive defensemen in the entire League, making him an interesting player to target for Detroit.
Since the team missed out on nearly every top free agent, the trade market is the only real path forward. And Karlsson - despite his contract - would be a massive upgrade.
The Penguins, for their part, are willing to listen. With Kyle Dubas looking to add younger players to his team ahead of the next season, it could end up happening.
But as we saw in the past, Yzerman is rarely willing to give up young players or future assets to upgrade his lineup on a short-term basis. Karlsson doesn't have many years left in the League, and acquiring him could end up costing a lot to the organization.
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