Major changes to Erik Karlsson trade rumours after 4-nations tournament

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas might have denied speculation about a fire sale, there are still pieces that are likely to move ahead of the March 7 deadline. In recent weeks, the name of defenseman Erik Karlsson had been mentioned as a possible trade chip in Pittsburgh, though it was quickly dismissed due to Karlsson’s age and salary cap hit.
However, his performance at the 4-nations tournament in Montreal and Boston may have just gotten the spotlight back on him.

According to Josh Yohe of the Athletic, who answered a fan in his latest mailbag, the 4 nations might have improved the trade value on Karlsson as his performance might make rival GMs look at him more closely.
Yohe believes that what Karlsson has showed off during the tournament could help Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas find a trade partner for the puck-moving defenseman.

“he was outstanding against Canada, maybe Sweden’s best player.

"Karlsson playing well in this series only helps Dubas, I assure you.”

There are some significant obstacles in moving Karlsson ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. He has two years left on his contract with the Penguins, carrying $10 million of his $11.5-million annual cap hit. He also has a full no-move clause, which gives him complete control over the situation.

At 34, Karlsson may not be contenders’ first pick when it comes to adding a top defenseman to their blue line, and what price could Dubas get out of him?

However, while the Penguins may be struggling again in 2024-25, Karlsson has still managed to rack up six goals and 32 assists, adding 73 blocked shots as well. He would also be an immediate boost on the power-play of any contender thanks to his impressive track record on the man advantage.

And so, which teams come calling the Penguins to talk about Karlsson once the tournament is over with just a couple of weeks to go prior to the deadline?