5 best fits for Erik Karlsson in NHL free agency
By Simon Vacca
1. Vegas Golden Knights
Prior to the February 26 trade deadline, Karlsson’s name occupied the focal point of discussion around the NHL. Along with Evander Kane, Ryan McDonagh and Paul Stastny, the two-time Norris winner was one of the league’s ideal targets, as many a pundit united in speculation.
Dorion and Co. were aware of this reality. The response of the Senators’ administration was not to rush the looming move, but to be tactical in the endeavor at hand. Rather than shipping out Karlsson to the top buyer, the franchise sought to seek out a target that would be willing to undertake Bobby Ryan’s disastrous contract as part of an acquisition of this variety.
The deadline came and went, but rumors continued to operate in full swing. Ryan even went as far as to chime in on the narrative, offering that he and Karlsson were under the impression that they had been dealt to a Western Conference team:
"I heard on Sunday it was done and somebody backed out at the last second. . . . Karl and I were like, ‘pack it up’. We thought we were gone. That’s just the way it goes. Then you’re like, I’ve got to move again? I guess I’ll just wait and see how it goes in the summer. That’s all you can do."
The Vegas Golden Knights have often been connected to the skilled defender. And while there’s no question that their blue line could use some spice, the upcoming summer shall pose unique challenges to the most successful expansion franchise in NHL history.
In spite of the fact that they have a significant amount of cap space to work with, the club is in a position in which it will be left to move some of its pieces. William Karlsson has earned an extension and James Neal, Ryan Reaves and David Perron are set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Big decisions, indeed, for a young — albeit overachieving — organization.
That said, the Golden Knights have not hesitated to state their interest in being major players over the course of the offseason. Chief among their targets is John Carlson of the Washington Capitals. John Tavares is also frequently linked to George McPhee’s radar.
If Karlsson is to become a central feature of the talk circuit of hockey media in the weeks to come, one can bet that his name will form the basis of free agency speculation. It’s only reasonable, therefore, for the Golden Knights to be a staple of rumors of this nature. As the team looks to make its first of many dynamic-altering splashes, expect McPhee to look back to what he almost obtained in February as a tempting option.
Who knows? Acquiring Karlsson might just earn the Golden Knights another Stanley Cup appearance.
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