April 24, 2025 | 1:31pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

PENGUINS LIKELY TO EXPLORE KARLSSON TRADE OPTIONS

Erik Karlsson, defenceman

The Pittsburgh Penguins were willing to explore trading star defenceman Erik Karlsson this season and it is believed that GM Kyle Dubas will once again test the market this off-season.

During the latest “32 Thoughts” podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas, Friedman indicated that Karlsson is expected to be in play this summer and a move might be more palatable for another team after his $5 million bonus is paid out July 1.

“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. “He’s tradable 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, 34, has to years left on his contract and while he comes with a $10 million cap hit – the San Jose Sharks are eating $1.5 million of his total $11.5 million cap hit – he is owed $9 million next season ($5M of which is a bonus payment) and $7.5 million total in 2026-27.

The veteran blueliner also owns a full no-movement clause and would be open to waiving it for a Cup contender, as TFP reported during the season.

In 82 games with the Penguins this season, Karlsson registered 11 goals and 42 assists for 53 points.