BREAKING: Leafs connected to Norris Trophy winner
Long thought to be a pipe dream, one NHL Insider is now officially linking the Toronto Maple Leafs to this year's reigning Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson.
Just one day before the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, TSN's Pierre LeBrun has confirmed that the Leafs have reached out to the San Jose Sharks to discuss the possibility of trade that would send Erik Karlsson to the Leafs.
Obviously, if such a deal were to materialize, it would be a significant trade, likely involving multiple pieces and some salary retention. The Leafs are not the only team who have reached out either. LeBrun identified Carolina and Seattle as two of the other teams who have expressed interest in the 3-time Norris Trophy winning defender.
The obvious concerns here are about Karlsson's age, health and contract. The 33-year-old still has 4 years left on his current deal, which carries a cap hit of $11.5M per season. He has also missed significant time in recent seasons, minus last season, during which he had played in all 82 games.
Make no mistake, if he is healthy, Karlsson is absolutely a game-changer. There's a lot to be concerned about should the Leafs pull off a deal for Karlsson, and rightfully so. But, with the Leafs' medical staff being among the top groups in the NHL, perhaps they could help Karlsson better manage his health for the remainder of his deal.
LeBrun did also caution that this could simply be Brad Treliving just putting in a call so that he's leaving no stone unturned. However, if the Leafs were to acquire Karlsson, it will give them another shooting threat on the power play and would undoubtedly make their blueline a lot more dangerous.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 27 | 854 ANSWERS BREAKING: Leafs connected to Norris Trophy winner Will Erik Karlsson be a Leaf on opening night? | ||
| Yes | 291 | 34.1 % |
| No | 563 | 65.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
