5 best fits for Erik Karlsson in NHL free agency

Ottawa Senators superstar defender Erik Karlsson is set to hit the NHL free agency market in 2019. Which team should he sign with?

Just over a year ago, the Ottawa Senators embarked upon a playoff run for the books. In one of the Cinderella moments of the 2016-17 NHL season, Guy Boucher’s men took Mike Sullivan’s Pittsburgh Penguins — the defending Stanley Cup champions — to double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. The Senators would go on to lose the evenly matched contest, but nevertheless exited the postseason with their heads held high and the respect of the hockey world at the blades of their sticks.

To the dismay of many, the 2017-18 campaign was not nearly as kind to the team that stood a mere goal away from the Stanley Cup Final in the recent past. Lack of clarity surrounding administrative endeavors, a decline in goaltending and a three-team deal that saw Matt Duchene become a Senator at a very heavy cost contributed to the decline in form of the very franchise that had worked so hard to garner the admiration of hockey fans. As such, uncertainty envelops Canada’s capital — the likes of which will all but definitely transcend into the offseason.

At the heart of Ottawa’s struggles is a sense of confusion regarding the team’s captain, Erik Karlsson. Set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, the two-time Norris Trophy winner has to ponder some serious questions about his future. Where he shall play is yet unclear, but we do know that the talented defender will aim to receive top dollars wherever he goes.

It’s only reasonable for hockey fans to speculate on the Karlsson situation. After all, when he’s at the top of his game, the 28-year-old is easily one of league’s best players — a generational talent, that is, who is more than capable of controlling momentum in a manner comparable to Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, respectively.

With the Stanley Cup playoffs on the verge of concluding and the 2018 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, let’s look at five teams that Karlsson ought to consider signing with.

OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 2: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators shoots the puck against the Winnipeg Jets at Canadian Tire Centre on April 2, 2018 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

5. Ottawa Senators

About a year ago, it seemed not just probable, but plausible that Karlsson would opt to stay in Ottawa. He had already established himself as the most important player in franchise history and the team showed signs of promise for years to come.

The past season, however, changed everything.

The Senators’ goaltending took a turn for the worst. Administration sent multitudes of mixed signals about the future of the organization — the most damaging of which came on the eve of the club’s historic outdoor game. Duchene was acquired, but Kyle Turris, Andrew Hammond, Shane Bowers, a first-round pick and a third-round pick were surrendered in the trade process. Boucher’s value as a head coach was often scrutinized. Karlsson also regressed, as he struggled to sustain defensive composure upon returning from surgery in which half of one of his ankle bones was removed. And perhaps most disappointingly, the team finished 30th overall.

To add fuel to the fire, Drew Doughty’s interview with Craig Custance in late November rendered Karlsson a subject of rumors for the entirety of the campaign. On the topic of free agency, the former Norris winner remarked:

"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."

Speculation aside, it’s indeed possible that Karlsson remains in Ottawa. For every comment that administration has uttered about the possibility of shipping out the gifted defender, others have been made that gesture to a willingness to keep him on their radar.

According to GM Pierre Dorion, the Senators are set to make Karlsson an eight-year offer. And although it’s unclear if he’ll accept the deal, fans of the club can unite in hoping that their most prized possession remains in Canada’s capital.