The Detroit Red Wings are aiming to break their playoff drought, and one trade proposal has them acquiring star defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Using the PuckGM tool on PuckPedia, a user suggested a deal where the Red Wings would trade for Karlsson from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Proposed Trade:
Red Wings Receive:
- Erik Karlsson (with $3 million in salary retained)
Penguins Receive:
- Justin Holl
- Michael Rasmussen
- Elmer Soderblom
- 2025 second-round pick
This trade would be a major move, with Detroit acquiring Karlsson in exchange for three players and a draft pick. Karlsson, a top-tier defenseman, would enhance Detroit’s blue line. The Swede is in the sixth year of his eight-year, $92 million contract, with Pittsburgh retaining part of his salary. This season, Karlsson has played 49 games, recording 4 goals and 28 assists for 32 points.
In return, Detroit would send Holl, who would help offset the salary and replace Karlsson on the blue line. Holl is in the second year of a three-year, $10.2 million contract. Rasmussen, a former ninth-overall pick and just 25 years old, has 6 goals and 7 assists in 45 games this season. Soderblom, 23, is a fringe NHL player with 21 career NHL games, 5 goals, and 3 assists.
Penguins Open to Trading Karlsson
After a slow start to the season, Pittsburgh is open to making a major move, including potentially trading Karlsson. A source revealed that while key players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, and a few young prospects are off-limits, Karlsson could be moved for the right deal. The team is willing to retain some of his salary to facilitate a trade. The source also mentioned that Karlsson could still help the right team, especially with the salary cap expected to rise.
Karlsson is a seven-time NHL All-Star.
Red Wings Looking to Make Moves
Detroit has been one of the NHL’s hottest teams since firing Derek Lalonde and hiring Todd McLellan. With the Red Wings playing strong, NHL insider David Pagnotta reports that Detroit is planning to be active at the trade deadline on March 7. Yzerman is looking to add pieces that complement the team’s core, but he’s not willing to trade young talent or prospects for short-term fixes.
Detroit currently has a 21-21-4 record, and their goal this season is to compete for a playoff spot. GM Steve Yzerman emphasized on December 27 that the Red Wings are in the early stages of their rebuild but are focused on becoming a competitive team that can eventually contend for the Stanley Cup.
Detroit will face the Philadelphia Flyers on January 21.
