Erik Karlsson Reportedly Hoping for 'Competitive Offers' From Senators and Canadiens
By Brendan Azoff
Erik Karlsson is one of the best defensemen in the NHL, and it is no secret that he will be a hot commodity when the calendar turns to July 1, signaling the start of the league's free agency period.
The former Norris Trophy winner has his eyes set on two particular franchises however, one being the Montreal Canadiens and the other being his former team in the Ottawa Senators.
“While the two-time Norris Trophy winner is expected to be the most coveted free agent available when the market opens on July 1, a well-connected source says that he hopes to receive competitive offers from two teams in particular — the Senators and the Montreal Canadiens.” https://t.co/lU8P4FTl5M
— Joey Alfieri (@joeyalfieri) June 4, 2019
Karlsson is interested in those teams if their offers are competitive, signaling that he may prefer to head north of the border once again. It is no secret that Karlsson enjoyed his time in Ottawa, and recently reported "homesickness" could see him keen to return to Canada. After all, the 29-year-old star purchased a house in Ottawa, with plans of spending his summers there, so perhaps a permanent switch may be in the cards.
The contract offer for Karlsson should be expected to be similar to that of Drew Doughty's eight-year, $88 million dollar extension, and both the Senators and Canadiens have enough cap room to engage in discussions within that price range.
Elliotte Friedman, says 4 teams, including San Jose, that are the front-runners in signing Erik Karlsson this off-season.
— Vikingstad (@HockeyRockBeer) May 29, 2019
Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks and the New York Rangers are all the front-runners in trying to sign Karlsson this off-season
While he's identified the Senators and Canadiens as two preferred landing spots, a more lucrative deal could sway his decision.
Other teams will also be able to make competitive offers, and we can expect teams such as the Sharks and Rangers to be in on him as well, but the familiarity aspect of Canada could win-out in the long run.
After an injury-plagued campaign that saw a slight dip in numbers, there is a very real chance that Karlsson could elect to go home, and he's already made clear where he would prefer to suit up in 2019-20.