Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen: The Ottawa Senators could trade Erik Karlsson, but they may not be looking to move out all of their veterans. GM Pierre Dorion stressed they need the right mix of “Leadership, chemistry and character.”
“When we build our team, the direction we’re trying to go to is younger, faster and stronger. That’s the direction of the NHL and that’s where we need to get, too. We need to implement our younger kids as early as this year as part of the rebuild.”
Don Brennan of the Ottawa Citizen: If the Ottawa Senators don’t trade Erik Karlsson before the trade deadline, it will be a topic that players will be asked about constantly.
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger yesterday on TSN 1050 when asked if an Erik Karlsson trade was imminent.
“I don’t like that word. I’ve never liked the word ‘imminent’ unless it’s coming from the mouth of a general manager or a source that is impeccable, because it gets you in trouble when we as a media toss that word out,” said Dreger. “So I’m not going to apply that word ‘imminent’ to an Erik Karlsson trade, but I can tell you this – everything is pointing to Erik Karlsson being moved by the Ottawa Senators within a day or two. I mean, that’s our sense.”
Dreger adds that a likely destination is difficult to predict. The Tampa Bay Lightning have been speculated for months, but they just went through a GM change.
The Vegas Golden Knights could be another option, and believes they are still in it even after acquiring Max Pacioretty.
A Dallas Stars source said that things are quiet on that front.
Dreger continues that if the Golden Knights had been willing to include Shea Theodore in a trade package for Erik Karlsson at the trade deadline, he likely would already be a Golden Knight. Theodore remains unsigned.
“So maybe that’s all part of it. Maybe – and this is just speculation here – maybe there’s a willingness from Vegas’ standpoint to include Theodore now in that type of trade for Karlsson, whereas they wouldn’t do it at the trade deadline.”