I think everyone agrees EK will not play for SJS next season. I'm leaning towards the east coast, but I'm just guessing. I think the most likely scenario is that PHI trades Gostisbehere and locks up Karlsson long term. I've heard Tampa is very interested, but I think it'd be a mistake even if he'd be willing to take a big pay cut. Similar to the Sharks w/ Burns, they already have a top D running the PP w/ Hedman. The 4 Metro teams listed above all need a PP QB and all 4 are in good shape w/ the cap. The question is: Just how much money/term will these teams be willing to invest on an elite D w/ recent injury troubles? My guess: 5 years at $10M AAV.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Just saw something about EK saying he wants to sign in MTL....

He wants Montreal and Ottawa to make offers for him. I don't know what that means, but take it as you will.

Not really sure why OTT would want him back now that Chabot has had a breakout season as a #1 D...especially on the PP. He's also like 10 years younger than Karlsson. I can see MTL in the mix, but I still think PHI makes the most sense.

Chabot is a LHD. Karlsson is a RHD.
If the Sharks think he can be asset while already having Burns on the roster, I'm sure the Senators would have an interest.

Tampa Bay or NYR.

Were the Sharks actually better w/ Burns and Karlsson this season? They also had him at a cap hit of about $4M less than it'll cost his new team next year.

Unless TBL can get him at under $8M AAV I don't think they can accommodate him. Again, their PP is already the elite unit in the league so why mess with it. I think the NYR are a top 3 contender for him though. They need him, unlike Tampa, and they have the cap space...unlike Tampa. If Tampa was gonna get him they would have done it last summer when they had the cap space.

They aren't going to sign him unless they can get him for under 5 million. Even then they are ****ed.

Absolutely they were. They had sub .900 goaltending in both the regular season and the playoffs and still were able to finish with 101 points and make the conference finals. If they had even league average goaltending they would likely have won the division and finished 2nd in the league only behind Tampa.

Wrong

Who voted for Tampa? How do they make it work?

Explain to me how they are going to make the cap work? It isn't possible. It's already going to be very hard to sign Point

Choose between these:
- Callahan traded away. 5.8M saved
- Gourde moved before July 1. 5.16M saved
- JT Miller traded. 5.25M saved
- Ask one of Johnson/Palat to waive their NTC and trade. 5M/5.3M saved
This last one is more difficult but definitely not impossible. As you see, just by moving Callahan + JT Miller Tampa frees up 11.05M

To replace the guys we get rid of, Volkov was almost bound to be a full time NHL player, this season is ready. Same for Verhaeghe. And we got others that vound eventually step up too.


Next offseason Killorn's NTC becomes a M-NTC with a 16 teams trade list. Will be traded and we free up 4.45M

Basically, if Tampa wants to be able to make it work eith both Point and Karlsson, it comes down to this: trade one guy between Gourde/Johnson/Palat this offseason. (Callahan will be traded whatsoever and then you can eventually move JT Miller too if you need an extra 5.25M in cap space)
If they do, Tampa will have enough cap for Point, Karlsson and re-signing all next season's RFAs.

Callahan has a full NTC
Gourde has a full NTC
Miller has an 8-Team NTC, It's possible, but If Miller wants to stay, he most likely can force Tampa to make him stay (Pick 8 teams that can trade for him). Keep the list open to teams with no cap or rebuilding teams who wouldn't be interested.
You can ask Johnson or Palat to waive, but if they both say no, they aren't going anywhere.

Unless the players want to be moved, Tampa has no choice but to keep them. The 11 Million you would free would get you point and not even pay for half of Karlsson's salary. It's not possible. You can keep dreaming.

Callahan has a M-NTC (16 teams list where he can get traded without permission)
Gourde has a NTC that kicks in July 1st. If necessary, BriseBois can deal him wherever he pleases prior to July 1.
Miller has a M-NTC with a 8 teams NO trade list, which leaves 23 teams where he can be traded. Big difference.

Tampa has 8.48M cap space now, trade Callahan + Miller and you already have 19+M cap space.
Better luck next time

"Better Luck Next Time"

My thoughts exactly

I don't see Tampa as a viable landing spot for EK. They'd need to take too many losses w/ trades and/or buyouts in order to free up the cash. They do have some dead weight in Callahan and some tough to trade contracts in Miller, Palat, Killorn, and Tyler Johnson. Johnson's numbers say otherwise until you see how they're inflated by playing w/ Kucherov and Point and his pretty weak playoff totals the last 2 years.
Also, they're gonna need major cash reserves for Vas (probably $8M+ AAV), and Sergachev (probably $6M+ AAV) next summer. And that's on top of Point's soon to be massive extension($8M+)...ouch!