Rule #1 of sports PR - don't ever put your franchise player in a trade scenario. Ever. Just say what the GM said 4 hours earlier 'We have Erik Karlsson, he cares, he wants to win, he's our Captain, he's our best player, he's the best defendants in the league'
No trade scenarios, no need for drama, just following basic Policy.
The Hawks don't every out Toewes in a trade scenario, the Warriors don't put Curry in trade scenarios, the Pats don't put Brady in trade scenarios - even the thought of it sends a GM and media team into conniption fits - but you never do it because you don't want your star player even hearing these things and getting the wrong idea
Melnyks problem is he wants to be a celebrity though his hockey team. Without it, nobody cares who he is, and he uses his platform to see his face on TV and say stupid shyte