On the Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson …
Sportsnet: Saturday ‘Headlines’
Elliotte Friedman said that in Erik Karlsson’s contract, the Senators have the right to ask him for a list of 10 teams that he won’t accept a trade too. There was speculation this week that the Senators asked for this list.
The Senators are not going to trade Karlsson because they were angry about the comments he made about not taking a hometown discount.
Friedman added that the Senators are struggling and they plan to ask their ten players that have no-trade clauses to provide them a list of the teams they won’t be traded too. They will then figure out what they are going to do. They did the same thing back in 2011 and moved three players.
“I was told that does not mean 100 per cent that Erik Karlsson is getting traded. It just opens the option,” Friedman said during the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday.
Friedman adds he doesn’t think it’s likely.
Nick Kypreos says that Senators owner Eugene Melnyk wasn’t happy that Karlsson made it public that he wasn’t going to take a hometown discount.
If Karlsson is going to watch half his team get traded, is he even going to want to sign an extension with the Senators?
Nick Kypreos adds that the Senators should trade Karlsson.
“Absolutely I would,” Kypreos stated. “It just doesn’t make sense to pay a guy $12 to $13 million if you can’t afford to surround him with players that can compete.”
On the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins …
Sportsnet: Saturday ‘Headlines’
Nick Kypreos said there is lots of interest in Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson. The Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams. The Jets would like to get the $1.3 million salary off their books.
The Florida Panthers and maybe Pittsburgh Penguins could be looking for a backup.
Elliotte Friedman adds the Oilers could be looking at Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek but doesn’t know where that stands as of now.