NHL Trade Rumors: Elliotte Friedman deems Penguins' $92,000,000 star "not untradeable"

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson could be traded, according to Elliotte Friedman. On the "32 Thoughts" podcast, Friedman said teams are interested. He explained that Karlsson has a bonus due on July 1. After that, his salary will be $11 million a year. That makes a trade possible, though Pittsburgh may need to keep some salary.

"Karlsson has a bonus and once he gets paid that bonus, I believe it’s on July 1, his actual cash I think is $11 million for the next two years," Friedman said on Wednesday.

"He’s tradeable and there’s going to be interest. I think people are going to try to leverage Pittsburgh on that, get it to either eat money or throw a sweetener in there, but he’s not untradeable."

Karlsson signed an eight-year, $92 million contract in 2019 and has two years left. His cap hit is $11.5 million per season. Since joining the Penguins, he has scored 56 points in the 2023-24 season and 53 points this season.

Karlsson won the Norris Trophy three times as the NHL’s best defenseman. In 2022-23, he scored 101 points, and only six defensemen have done it.

Before Pittsburgh, Karlsson played for the Ottawa Senators and the San Jose Sharks. He was drafted by the Senators in 2008. He helped Ottawa reach the playoffs several times. In San Jose, he reached the Western Conference finals in 2019. He was traded to Pittsburgh in a three-team deal in 2023.

Karlsson’s speed and passing are his best strengths. He is also tough, returning quickly from an Achilles injury in 2013. Over his long career, he has scored 200 goals and 670 assists. Even though his contract is large, his skill keeps teams interested. If Pittsburgh decides to trade him, it won’t be easy, but it’s possible.

Penguins under Kyle Dubas are aiming to make their team younger

Erik Karlsson's rumors are on the rise because the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. Their final record was 34-36-12, and they finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division.

Poor defense and inconsistent goaltending hurt their chances. Karlsson had a plus- rating of -24, and the team gave up 3.58 goals per game, one of the worst in the league.

Penguins top line of Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust combined for 92 of the team’s 227 goals. Still, there are some good signs. Crosby played well, with his third consecutive 90+ points season, and young players are getting chances. The team has many draft picks, and coach Mike Sullivan is expected to stay.