The Score’s Josh Wegman suggested three possible destinations for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, and I think he’s a little off in naming the Red Wings as a possible landing spot for the 34-year-old with a $10 million cap hit (which Wegman suggests the Penguins might be willing to eat half of just to get rid of Karlsson):
If you told a hockey fan in the mid-2010s that Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Erik Karlsson could all be on the same roster, they’d assume that team would be genuinely competing for a Cup. But that’s not the case in 2025.
The Red Wings are on the fringe of the playoff picture as they aim to end an eight-year postseason drought. They enter Tuesday occupying the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the race is incredibly tight. That begs the question whether Karlsson would even waive his no-movement clause to join Detroit.
For Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, it makes more sense to surrender assets for a player with additional term like Karlsson rather than a rental. Karlsson could slot in on the team’s second pair behind Moritz Seider and serve as a key mentor for both Seider and Simon Edvinsson.
LD RD Ben Chiarot Moritz Seider Simon Edvinsson Erik Karlsson Erik Gustafsson Justin Holl Detroit could make a trade work more easily than the other teams on this list. Yzerman has a full cupboard of draft picks and one of the NHL’s deepest farm systems. The club also has enough cap space to take on the entirety of Karlsson’s contract, if necessary.
If Karlsson’s willing to go, there’s no reason why Yzerman shouldn’t try to make it happen.
Continued; I just don’t see the point of adding Karlsson and his contract when the Wings could add a more affordable third-pair offensive defenseman and/or a shut-down defender for the third pair.
Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson are doing a fine job in the second pair, so why mess with success?
Just as importantly, Karlsson both makes a lot of money for the next three seasons, and he’s also got a no-move clause, so I don’t see him waiving it to go to an up-and-coming team like Detroit when he wants to win a Cup ASAP.
There’s just not a fit here.
