Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson trade seems imminent
By Jasmine Yen
Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson’s name has been circulating around the trade market for over a year now. All this new off-rink drama might be his tipping point.
Hockey players are loyal to their teams but at some point, they need to sever their ties. Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson is no different. But the news surrounding his wife, Melinda Karlsson, and Mike Hoffman’s wife, Monika Caryk, might prove to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. The entire situation is outlined in this CBC article here.
This situation is disgusting and there is no excuse for these hateful comments. No one deserves this kind of treatment, especially the Karlssons. They are both the epitome of class and the fact that Melinda wanted to keep this private says a lot about her character. Even though someone is actively trying to bring her down, she’s taking the high road and being the bigger, more mature person.
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In terms of what’s going to happen to Erik Karlsson next season, I believe that there is no way he stays in Ottawa. It’s been abundantly clear that no one approves of Eugene Melnyk’s leadership. All of this is happening under his nose and he’s not doing anything to try and resolve it.
Keep in mind, this news has recently come out, but the Karlsson situation has been going on since March. Keeping Hoffman and Karlsson in the same locker room during this whole fiasco is destructive to the team culture. It certainly doesn’t get you on the captain’s good side.
Daniel Alfredsson, a Senators legend, said some pretty telling things in a recent interview.
“[Mayor Jim Watson and I have] talked a lot, we’ve talked about the future of the Ottawa Senators and its ownership and we agree,” Alfredsson said, via the Ottawa Sun. “We hope we get a new owner.”
So where will Karlsson go? He has one year left on his seven-year deal worth $6.5 million. This is the perfect situation for most teams because this means that he can be a quick, one-year rental. Any team with cap space will be after him and he will get his pick from any of the 30 other teams.
Big front-runners are the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Oh boy, if Karlsson signs in any of those three teams, they will vault right into the 2019 Stanley Cup champion conversation.
Next: How Each NHL Team Could Trade For Erik Karlsson
The biggest thing right now is that Erik Karlsson needs a change in scenery. Ottawa was great until last season, but there are many ghosts in that town and he needs to leave them in the dust.