Karlsson responds to reports that he's headed to Oilers

With just three days until the NHL trade deadline, all eyes are on big name players like Patrick Kane and Erik Karlsson.

We've already seen some blockbuster deals this season with the likes of Vladimir Tarasenko, Timo Meier, Bo Horvat and Ryan O'Reilly all changing locales ahead of the deadline, but with all due respect to those players they simply don't have the same name recognition as Kane and Karlsson. 

All signs point to Kane joining the New York Rangers in the coming days and there have been reports of Karlsson is linked to the Edmonton Oilers, with insiders like Elliotte Friedman, Pierre LeBrun, Darren Dreger and Chris Johnston all indicating that Oilers GM Ken Holland is attempting to acquire the veteran blueliner. More than one of these insiders has reported that Karlsson would waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade to the Oilers. To which, Karlsson himself calls bullshit.

When asked today about the looming deadline, Karlsson told Sharks insider Sheng Peng that GM Mike Grier has not asked to waive his no-trade clause and won't consider it now given that the deadline is just three days away.

"He (Grier) hasn't reached out to me, I think it'd be weird if he comes now with three days left to ask me to waive my no-move. We've had plenty of time for that if that was the case."

- Erik Karlsson

In other words, "You are Fake News."

I always thought that the Karlsson to Edmonton rumors were fishy at best. I get why a player like Kane or O'Reilly or Tarasenko would be open to moving as they're all on expiring contracts, but Karlsson still has four more years on a deal that pays him a whopping $12 million per season. He's 32 years old and admittedly he's having a renaissance season, but that's a tough pill for the Oilers to swallow. Hell, Karlsson might win the Norris Trophy this season as the NHL's best defenseman and that's STILL too rich of a contract in my books.

In any case, it doesn't appear as if Karlsson will be on the move anywhere this season.