Everyone is ignoring the obvious angle here...
This is all a propaganda campaign by Rogers AKA the Toronto Maple Leafs AKA Sportsnet. Notice how this is always coming from them? They are just using media influence to turn the people of Ottawa against Karlsson and gut their team ensuring that they don't ever have to worry about us in the standings. The consensus here seems to be that this is working as many are OK with trading him now and seem to be accepting the idea that he'll be gone. The more the fans have turned on him, the more the media can report on that public opinion, the more EK can hear it and say "F it I'm outta here".
I'd agree with you if guys like Bob McKenzie weren't reporting that Dorion is willing to make a trade.
Yeah if thats the case then its probably Vegas or Anaheim or a western team
If I was a betting man, I'd bet money on Vegas acquiring Erik Karlsson by Monday. It's too much of a perfect storm in their shoes not to happen. Last week I would have predicted TBL, but now with the Ryan contract being tacked on it completely changes everything. Vegas are in a position of strength by being the only team in the league who can take Ryan+Karlsson and not only make it work long term, but also assuming Dorion is only asking for a deal heavy in 1st round picks+prospects could make the deal without having to give their contending team a facelift.
Imagine if you're Vegas owner Bill Foley.....I doubt owners watch every NHL game or anything, but I'm sure he was paying some attention during last year's playoffs when every talking head was putting Karlsson up there with Crosby and McDavind by tagging him as a top 3 player and the undisputed best defender in the league. He's young, good looking, exciting to watch....all of a sudden you've got a Presidents trophy team, and your team is in a position to absolutely steal him from Ottawa for a paltry sum of 3 1st round picks and a few prospects.....Prospects come and go, but acquiring Erik Karlsson is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the fact that for Vegas they could do it in their first year as a franchise. It's unfathomable.
The only reason Karlsson gets traded (if he does) is because this is the Ottawa Senators, we are owned by Eugene Melnyk, and this entire situation has been manufactured by his actions over the last 5 or so years. If you're Foley+McPhee, you've gotta get this done now. Worry about re-stocking the cupboards later.
As far as (yeah but what if Karlsson walks from VGK), Vegas was on the list of teams Doug MacLean leaked claiming they were Karlsson's trade list. Obviously, we all know Karlsson has a 20 team trade list and there weren't 20 teams on the list. So if there was any legitimacy to that list, the implication was probably that those were teams Karlsson would play for, not necessarily the only teams he could be sent to. Vegas was on that list.
