Speculation: Erik Karlsson on the move at the deadline?

[Ogelthorpe]

So, after reading more of this thread than I probably should have, here is what I’ve learned.
1) too many people obviously don’t either know that Pittsburgh can take money back in a deal to make the cap numbers work, or just to ignore that fact to try and make it seem like the Penguins are “stuck with him”
2) there are actually people that are dumb enough to think Karlsson is a cap dump. That’s the kind of intelligence, or lack there of, that would make their parents not want to claim them.
3) People need to understand that coaching matters. Knowing how to utilize a players strengths while minimizing their weaknesses is why you see so many change of scenery trades make a player flourish…..and also why a player who is performing well, goes to a new system and flounders……. To that matter, surrounding personnel have a similar effect.

 

[Ogelthorpe]

I'm absolutely obsessed with Pens fans who think the Karlsson trade was great for them. I feel confident that every single team in the NHL would take Sam Dickinson, Mikael Granlund, and Jan Rutta over Erik Karlsson.

In a vacuum, you could be right. However, in reality, my previous post, specifically point 3, is exactly why it was good for the Penguins. Sullivan hated Grandlund, and had absolutely zero idea how to use Jan Rutta. Those 2 also weren’t the type of players who can “go rogue” and just do their thing.
While Sullivan still doesn’t understand how to get the best version of Erik Karlsson, Karlsson still shows that he is capable of being a top pair guy based solely on his talent and freelancing. The Penguins need a rebuild, and come playoff time, Erik Karlsson is still going to be sought after, especially if a team has the luxury of having him play on a second pair and top PP unit.

 

[Juxtaposer]

In a vacuum, you could be right. However, in reality, my previous post, specifically point 3, is exactly why it was good for the Penguins. Sullivan hated Grandlund, and had absolutely zero idea how to use Jan Rutta. Those 2 also weren’t the type of players who can “go rogue” and just do their thing.
While Sullivan still doesn’t understand how to get the best version of Erik Karlsson, Karlsson still shows that he is capable of being a top pair guy based solely on his talent and freelancing. The Penguins need a rebuild, and come playoff time, Erik Karlsson is still going to be sought after, especially if a team has the luxury of having him play on a second pair and top PP unit.

When the Penguins trade Karlsson after getting zero playoff games out of him, they will not get anything close to the futures value of Sam Dickinson and will not have used the cap space they gained from "dumping" Granlund and Rutta to improve their team. They may get a late 1st from a contender by retaining 50%, but whatever prospect that ends up being will never share the ice with Sidney Crosby.

So with all that in mind, what even was the point of acquiring him? To prevent them from getting a top-10 pick for a couple of years and also not make the playoffs?

This is not an indictment of Karlsson BTW, whom I have nothing but love for and will root for individually wherever he goes. It's the just the reality of the situation.

 

[SomeDude]

Has a Norris Trophy winning defender ever been moved this much?

Paul Coffey played for like 8 teams.

 

[Darren McCord]

I'm absolutely obsessed with Pens fans who think the Karlsson trade was great for them. I feel confident that every single team in the NHL would take Sam Dickinson, Mikael Granlund, and Jan Rutta over Erik Karlsson.

Meh the trade was great at the time. But Sullivan is an awful coach and the graves and jarry contracts suck.

If they would have fired Sullivan or even just Reirden and made the playoffs last year. The first ends up later and no one cares.

The team underperformed due to an awful coach and system. In hindsight it ended up bad but at the time it was good. They traded a first not Dickinson. Dickinson was the Sabers pick anyways. They had to trade up. If anything the sabres gave him away.

 

[Turin]

nhl GMs are in for a RUDE awakening when they find out karlsson is bad defensively!

I'm absolutely obsessed with Pens fans who think the Karlsson trade was great for them. I feel confident that every single team in the NHL would take Sam Dickinson, Mikael Granlund, and Jan Rutta over Erik Karlsson.

Petry was a cap dump and so was Granlund. Rutta was fine but slightly overpaid for being a #6 D. Pens would have gladly have forfeited all three of those players for literally nothing back. If there was any juice in the core left to squeeze, getting a guy like Karlsson was necessary.

In case people have somehow forgotten, this was Granlund's career trajectory when traded.