The Pittsburgh Penguins, once one of the NHL’s hottest teams in December, have experienced a significant decline in form since the start of the new year. With only three wins since returning from the Christmas break, the team finds itself sliding toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference. As the trade deadline approaches, the Penguins are facing tough decisions about the future of their roster.
Several key players are likely to be moved before the deadline, but there could also be some surprising departures. According to a report from Responsible Gambler, the Penguins are open to trading superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson, a move that could be part of a larger roster shake-up. A source close to the situation suggested that Karlsson is a player the Penguins are eager to move, with salary retention likely in play to facilitate the trade. Despite his struggles with Pittsburgh, Karlsson is still seen as a valuable asset for the right team, especially as the salary cap is expected to rise in the near future.
Karlsson was acquired by the Penguins prior to the 2023-24 season, marking one of the first major moves under president and general manager Kyle Dubas. This trade was one of the most significant in Penguins history, as the team sought to bolster its defense and make one final push for a deep playoff run with its veteran core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. However, the acquisition of Karlsson has not lived up to expectations, with the defenseman leading the team’s blue line in points (32 points in 48 games) but struggling with a minus-14 rating. Despite playing all 82 games in the 2023-24 season and finishing with 11 goals and 45 assists, Karlsson’s performance has been underwhelming, and it’s shaping up to be another disappointing year for the $10 million defenseman, who is on pace for just 55 points. This underperformance has left many questioning whether the Penguins will get the value they expected from such a high-priced player, especially considering Karlsson is 34 years old.
While Karlsson’s contract might have seemed unmovable at first, with the expected rise in the salary cap, there could be a team willing to take on his deal. The Penguins may even be willing to retain some of Karlsson’s salary to make the trade more attractive, though this would require his cooperation, as Karlsson holds a full no-move clause. He waived this clause once when he was traded from the San Jose Sharks to Pittsburgh, but it remains uncertain if he would do so again.
The Penguins are approaching a potential roster overhaul, with only a few players considered safe from being traded. According to the same source, Crosby, Malkin, Bryan Rust, Owen Pickering, and Philip Tomasino are the players deemed untouchable, leaving others like Letang’s future up in the air. Letang’s name was notably absent from the list of untouchables, suggesting that the Penguins may be open to discussing his potential departure as well, although it remains unclear whether that will come to pass.
