Yes. Any Karlsson trade that isn't made because Erik asked for a trade, is a Melnyk decision.
We don't know what Karlsson has communicated to Senators management, but he's been talking quite a bit about his up coming possible extention, and it's not by accindent, just as picking up the puck was "nothing".
Drew Doughty started this whole ball rolling when he said ( in late November ) .............. “
I know I’m going to talk to Karlsson back and forth, kind of see what money he’s looking for. I’ll kind of look at what money I’m looking for, I don’t know if he’s going to re-sign with Ottawa, I don’t know if I’ll re-sign with L.A. You just never know what’s going to happen.”
When Karlsson was asked the very next day (about the Doughty comments) he said
“
When I go to market, I’m going to get what I’m worth, and it’s going to be no less, no matter where I’m going, that’s the business part of it. That’s the way every player has been treated ever since this league has started, and I think the players have been a little bit on the other side of things when it comes to negotiations. I think it’s time to realize that when we go to the table, it’s business on both parts, not just (owners).” .... “I like it here, I’m comfortable here, I’ve been here my whole career, it’s something that I invested all my time in and something I would like to see all the way through. But at the end of the day, when it comes down to it, if it’s not the right fit and it’s not going to work out business-wise, then you’re going to have to look elsewhere because that’s what (owners) are going to do, as well.”
Was this "off the top of his head" or does it sound like he was sending a message to someone? Clearly he and Doughty have shared their thoughts with each other, and it has all the appearances of creating a market for themselves, or leverage with their respective teams.
It did not take long for the Toronto centrist sport media threw fuel on the fire, as they take any chance they get to create "issues" to report on, as if they're true, when
Nick Kypreos said on HNIC ... “
And no question Eugene Melnyk did not like the fact that (Karlsson) came out publicly and said, ‘No discount,(Melnyk)’s going to have to pay top dollar to keep him and to Elliotte (Friedman’s) point, if Karlsson is going to watch half his team get traded from hereon in, does he even want to come back?”
Please explain how in the heck would Nick Kypreos know what Eugene Melnyk's thoughts were on those comments??? He's guessing, and speculating.
If anything, we can only assume that Senators Management were not very pleased that impending contract talks, were talked about in the media, and I for one can understand if they were not happy that Karlsson appeared to be negotiating in the media.
Did he not know what he was doing? He's not a stupid person.
I suspect Senators management expressed to him how they felt about the issue, as Karlsson seemed to be trying to douse the flames of the rumour mill when he spoke to Arash Madani. ...
“I don’t really know why I spoke out about it. It’s not something that’s been on my mind. I love it here in Ottawa, it’s never, ever crossed my mind that I ever want to leave here or go somewhere else. That’s not something I’ve ever considered. That they spun it that way, that’s the way it is.”
“It’s all about winning. I want to be on a – I’ve been here for nine seasons. I’ve invested my entire career into this organization. They’ve given me everything that I feel like I need to succeed. I think we’re moving in the right direction. This is the place I want to win with. I want to win in Ottawa. That’s where I’ll always be. It’s going to be my home, no matter where I end up playing when I get older, if that ever happens. So that’s the thing: I want to be where home is. I’m comfortable at home, I like it at home and Ottawa is home. Not only the organization, but the community and all my friends as well. That’s something that’s very important to me. Then, all the other stuff, they will just follow.”
