Ottawa Senators: 5 burning questions for 2018-19 season

OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 02: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Erik Karlsson (65) prior to a face-off during third period National Hockey League action between the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators on April 2, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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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) /

1. Is an Erik Karlsson trade imminent?

With all that’s gone wrong with the Senators, everyone has been operating under the assumption that their captain is as good as gone. That talk has been aided by comments he himself has made, but it got to the point that #FansWithSources already traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer.

A deal may still be imminent, but nobody has stopped to consider how Karlsson is feeling about all this. It’s no fun to have your future hanging in the balance, without knowing when you might have to pack your bags and leave a comfortable setting. If there’s a chance that all this trade talk affects his play this season, that’s already a loss.

Dorion has said that he would offer Karlsson an eight-year extension. But that was back in April, and he still hasn’t signed anything. There’s also some uncertainty regarding Dorion’s status with the team, as it’ll be intriguing to see which one of the two remains on the Sens longer.

The fact that he would be a rental shouldn’t scare any teams from trading for him. Karlsson’s one of the best defensemen to ever lace them up, and if a team feels confident they can win a Cup and keep him beyond this season, they shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

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Karlsson is in his prime. He shouldn’t be wasting any more time on a team that’s deciding to rebuild. But if he truly loves it in Ottawa and has faith that they can turn things around in short order, who are we to judge him if he chooses to stay? At least, if he does, that’ll give the Sens some stability for the first time in a while.

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