Sens want decision on Karlsson before camp
Sens trying to put an end to the uncertainty before training camp opens on Sept. 13
Watch and wait.
That’s all anybody can do to find out what’s next for the Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson as general manager Pierre Dorion works the phones to see if anybody is willing make him an offer he can’t refuse.
While there was no action — at least publicly — on the trade front Thursday, that doesn’t mean there was any shortage of talk as the Senators try to see if they can get this situation resolved before Sept. 13, when the 28-year-old captain is scheduled to report to training camp at Canadian Tire Centre.
Though the Senators don’t want to get caught up in false deadlines and they’re not going to deal the club’s franchise player just for the sake of making a move, the indications are teams involved in the discussions have made progress and there is a possibility Karlsson could be dealt before camp.
Karlsson, who returned to Canada on Wednesday after being overseas, has been skating with some teammates and local pros in Kanata, but the indications are he’s fully prepared to be moved and if he isn’t then he knows he’ll have to report to camp.
After turning down an eightyear deal worth north of $80 million from the Senators on July 1, trade talk surrounding Karlsson reached a fever pitch in the first week after free agency, but it’s only picked up again recently, and perhaps both sides feel it’s in their best interests to see if this can get done.
There is no shortage of interest in Karlsson and it’s been consistent since the Senators first started listening to offers before the NHL trade deadline in February.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are viewed by many as the most logical landing spot because he’d be the right fit for the franchise, general manager Steve Yzerman has been aggressive throughout the process and there’s also Karlsson’s ties with Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman.
The Bolts, who were given permission to speak to Karlsson’s camp about a contract extension in July, aren’t alone in their pursuit and that’s a big reason why Karlsson hasn’t been moved yet.
The Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks all remain in the picture. The belief is the Stars and Knights have made serious pushes, while the Sharks may be attempting to be a conduit for another team in the talks by offering up cap space.
A report Thursday indicated Karlsson won’t sign a contract extension with any Canadian team. That came less than 24 hours after there was talk the Vancouver Canucks may be among the clubs making a pitch.
A lot of the teams involved in these talks have been trying to do this deal for six months. The Senators aren’t in any hurry to make the trade, but if a team is willing to give the club what it wants in return, why wouldn’t Dorion move Karlsson to get the right assets in return?
“If you don’t deal him now, then this is going to go into the season because every team feels it has all the answers in training camp,” a league executive said Wednesday. “Who knows? Maybe in November a team has got off to a tough start and wants to make a big move by dealing for Karlsson.”
The executive noted Karlsson’s value isn’t going to change much between now and the deadline in February because the teams know what they’re getting and they know the asking price.
This isn’t an easy deal for the Senators to make because the club is giving up the best player and has to get the proper return. A lot of what comes back in this trade will depend on what happens in the future, but Ottawa will likely get one player who will be able to help them right away.
The reaction to this latest round of talk has been predictable. People aren’t ready for the reality that Karlsson is likely going to be moved and don’t want to hear about it because they believe this is nothing more than media-driven speculation with the start of the season coming in October.
The Senators weren’t close to a deal in July, but they may finally be inching their way in the right direction.
The issue is, of course, if the Senators don’t get something done now, three weeks before the start of camp, then there is going to be another waiting period to see where this goes.
The best bet for the Senators and Karlsson is to get a deal done in the near future and every effort is being made right now by Dorion to make that happen.