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Erik Karlsson to the Toronto Maple Leafs: Insider Reignites Trade Rumors with New Report
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson has been wasted with the franchise, and there are teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs who would love to have him.
Erik Karlsson and the Pittsburgh Penguins have not been the match made in heaven that some fans were hoping for when he initially went there.
Of course, a lot of this falls on the Penguins organization, which has made some questionable decisions since Kyle Dubas took over a couple of years ago.
Now, there are rumblings of a Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin trade. If the Penguins want to blow it up, then they will need to get rid of Karlsson as well.
Throughout the Summer, a Karlsson trade seemed possible, and the Toronto Maple Leafs were even named as potential suitors thanks to their need for a right-handed puck-moving defenseman.
Erik Karlsson and the Pittsburgh Penguins haven't been great together
Eventually, those trade rumors cooled off quite a bit. But now, they are set to be reignited thanks to a report from Josh Yohe of The Athletic.
He noted that it is looking more likely that Karlsson and Rickard Rickell will be gone by the trade deadline. Meanwhile, another Leafs target, Bryan Rust, will probably stay.
"Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell may well be traded by the deadline"; "I have a feeling, though, that Rust will remain"
At the end of the day, the Maple Leafs don't have a ton of assets to make a trade like this happen, so it is hard to imagine them really pulling something off.
However, if the Penguins are really desperate, then perhaps general manager Brad Treliving will be able to pounce.
Overall, Karlsson does appear like a long shot, but once again, this is the NHL, and crazy things do and can happen.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 15 | 207 ANSWERS Erik Karlsson to the Toronto Maple Leafs: Insider Reignites Trade Rumors with New Report Should the Toronto Maple Leafs pursue an Erik Karlsson trade? | ||
| YES | 49 | 23.7 % |
| NO | 158 | 76.3 % |
| List of polls | ||