Value of: EK to Carolina

[Chrispy]

who do you have in mind?

I think the plan would be to offer more like a 2nd and a lower prospect for Karlsson without retention. More likely to move to a 1st than to Morrow, who is still waiver exempt and can continue to develop in Chicago and be the #1 call-up for injury this year.

With the cap space available right now, Carolina can absorb Karlsson at the full PIT cap hit for 2 years.

I can see that Pittsburgh would prefer to retain a bit to get a better return, but I don't know how much of a market there is for Karlsson right now besides Carolina.

Add in that Carolina would probably prefer to bring in a more defensive stalwart on D to replace Burns (like Ekblad or Andersson), and there becomes a question of whether Carolina targets Karlsson at all.

I see the argument that Carolina needs more scoring 5x5. But where Carolina needs to improve 5x5 is up front finding someone who will be a scoring threat on the PP and 5x5. I think Ehlers should be their #1 target over even Marner. Then if they can't land Ekblad or Andersson, come back if Karlsson is still available in early July.

 

[Chan790]

After Ekman-Larsson and Seth Jones. Is Erik Karlsson the next defender people given up on that Florida will acquire and give them a cup?

Feel free to try if it will keep him off the Canes.

I don't think Florida will be competitive going forward...I think this is their shot and they start to fall off starting next year.

 

[Hockeyfan200]

Are the canes linked to Rossi?

He's so interesting if I were a team with assets and contending

Wild are dumb and will maybe sell him due to size but he's been a 60 pt player so far and is only 23.

Nadeau, Morrow, 2025 1st, 2026 Dallas 1st, 2026 CAR 2nd, Dallas 2028 1st are assets they can use.

Something like Nadeau + 2026 Dall 1st + 2026 2nd for Rossi

&

2025 CAR 1st + 2028 Dallas 1st + Morrow + Kotka(2M retained) + Kotchkov to Seattle for Jared McCann + Joey Daccord + 2026 3rd

Trades like that if they make sense from both teams perspectives could give Canes a legit 1G + 2C + McCann a temp 2C and good top 6LW for 2 more years.

Canes should be 1 of most aggressive teams trade wise this summer

Minnesota is looking for a top 4 or top C like maxim Kadri back to get Rossi

 

[Chrispy]

Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but the stats clearly do not show this to be the case. What’s the basis for this?

In the last 5 years, this is how the Canes have done in the playoffs in terms of 5v5 production:

2025: 1.91 5v5 goals/60, 2.31 5v5 goals against/60
2024: 2.27 5v5 goals/60, 2.06 5v5 goals against/60
2023: 2.26 5v5 goals/60, 1.97 5v5 goals against/60
2022: 2.24 5v5 goals/60, 1.96 5v5 goals against/60
2021: 2.06 5v5 goals/60, 2.06 5v5 goals against/60

As an outsider, that doesn’t suggest “we don’t need a Karlsson, we need another Pesce”. Carolina doesn’t have problems giving up goals, they have problems scoring goals.

I believe these stats show both were issues this year. Hence the reason many Canes fans thought 24-25 would be a transition year and making the ECF was actually a pretty good accomplishment for this squad.

They need scoring (2C and top 6 wing), they need defense (preferably RD.) They have ~$30M in cap space to try and accomplish this. But there is a need to both improve the goal scoring and return the defense to 2021-24 levels with Nikishin and an RD addition.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Carolina would be a good landing spot if Pittsburgh wants to move him without retention. They are one of the few playoff teams that has the cap flexibility to add a big cap hit like Karlsson's for the next two seasons.

As in, the offers for EK with retention from teams he would waive for are soft enough, that trading him at his full hit for a lesser return is more ideal.

I could see something like the Brad Marchand return. A 2026 2nd that can become a 1st if Carolina makes it to the conference final and EK plays in X amount of playoff games.

People will balk at that, but that's with his NMC limiting the destinations, and NO retention. If the best offer with half-retained is something like a late 1st, then getting a 2nd with no retention would be seen as the better deal by most teams.

 

[St Louis515]

St Louis Blues will trade Justin Faulk cap hit 6.5 for 2 years <real money owed $4 million per> 2nd pair RHD and Mathieu Joseph rw/lw 1 year left at 2.9 million.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

While I’m sure Dundon would appreciate a player that’s cheaper than his cap hit as any owner would, there’s no reason to think it’s a meaningful selling point to Carolina. He’s spending to the cap yearly and dropped $15 mil in bonuses for new acquisitions and re-signees last Summer. Don’t let a certain fanbase fool you into thinking that the Canes are a cheap team.

 

[Peterpuck7810]

Canes need physical d man, not guys ready for a retirment home. No intrest in EK at all.

 

[mikeyfan]

Yes we do need a 2c, if Vegas is the clear Marner destination if he doens't take our 14m offer, I think W. Karlsson should be our target. But Aho - Karlsson - Staal - Jank will work.

Vegas has to get rid of a lot of cap space to get Marner. they have just over 9.6 Million and only 16 Forwards so they would need to shed at least 12 to 14 million in salary so they could sign Marner and have enough left over to fill out their roster.