Avalanche rival emerges as frontrunner to land Norris Trophy winner in stunning offseason twist
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Penguins / Instagram
Colorado Avalanche rival, the Vegas Golden Knights, have reportedly jumped to the front of the line in the race to acquire Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson in a shocking offseason development.
A new Sportsnet report reveals a surprising list of five
potential landing spots for the Penguins' veteran defenseman.
Vegas reportedly all in on acquiring Erik Karlsson this offseason
Julien Trekker from Red Wings Insider writes that on the trade market, many teams have held onto their key assets, fuelling speculation across the league. That includes the Pittsburgh Penguins, where GM Kyle Dubas is reportedly keeping several veterans available but seems unwilling to move them until the perfect offer comes along.
One veteran who could be on the move from Pittsburgh is
Karlsson. Sportsnet recently published a list of potential landing spots for the former Norris Trophy winner.
"Per Sportsnet, the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ottawa Senators have the most chance of getting Karlsson on the trade market." -Trekker
Karlsson, 35, has had an outstanding NHL career, racking up 870 points in 1,084 games with the Senators, Sharks, and Penguins.
However, with two years remaining on his hefty $11.5 million AAV contract and his best years likely behind him, it's understandable why a many GM's across the league may be hesitant to make a move for him.
If Golden Knights' GM Kelly McCrimmon is looking to add another proven star to the right side and bolster the team with veteran presence, Karlsson could be a likely target.
Never count Vegas out from the impossible!
Previously on Avalanche Insider
POLL |
JUILLET 26 | 22 ANSWERS Avalanche rival emerges as frontrunner to land Norris Trophy winner in stunning offseason twist Do you think Erik Karlsson is a future Hall of Famer? |
yes | 13 | 59.1 % |
no | 9 | 40.9 % |
List of polls |