In a stunning three-team trade, the San Jose Sharks have sent defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins, with the Montreal Canadiens also involved in the deal. The trade includes nine players, three draft picks, and salary retention for two players.
Trade Details
Penguins receive:
- Erik Karlsson (D)
- Dillon Hamaliuk (F)
- Rem Pitlick (F)
- San Jose’s 2026 third-round pick
Sharks receive:
- Mikael Granlund (F)
- Mike Hoffman (F)
- Jan Rutta (D)
- Pittsburgh’s 2024 first-round pick (top-10 protected)
Canadiens receive:
- Jeff Petry (D)
- Casey DeSmith (G)
- Nathan Legare (F)
- Pittsburgh’s 2025 second-round pick
Karlsson’s Impressive Stats
Erik Karlsson, a three-time Norris Trophy winner, had a career-high season in 2022-23, with 25 goals and 76 assists. He played in all 82 games, marking the first time since 2015-16 that he stayed healthy for the entire season and didn’t miss any games. Karlsson’s salary is $11,500,000, and his cap hit is $11,500,000 for the 2023-24 season. The Sharks will retain $1.5 million of Karlsson’s salary this year.
Trade Analysis
The trade appears to be a last-ditch effort by former Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, who is now in charge in Pittsburgh, to win with an aging core that still includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. The Penguins’ reconfigured blue line now includes Karlsson, Letang, and Ryan Graves, who signed a six-year deal last month. Some analysts have graded the trade as an A for the Penguins, as they landed the big fish in Karlsson.
For the Sharks, the trade adds two forwards to their roster who have proven ability to produce offensively at the NHL level and solidifies their NHL defense corps. The Canadiens, on the other hand, bring back defenseman Jeff Petry and acquire goaltender Casey DeSmith in the deal.
As the 2023-24 NHL season approaches, all eyes will be on the Penguins and their new star defenseman, Erik Karlsson, as they look to capitalize on their closing championship window.
