Penguins: Just Say No [to Karlsson]

With all the talk still circulating about the rumored Erik Karlsson trade, even here on these pages I must have my say. Initially, I was only going to write this as a reply to our friend Mike on one of Rick Buker’s posts, but it morphed into something a bit longer.

Sorry Penguin Poopers, I must disagree about wasting more assets to obtain Karlsson.

Where I agree with the Karlssonites

1. I won’t argue with you that Karlsson is better than Kris Letang (although there are those here in the ‘burgh that have tried arguing Letang’s ascendency for years). During our Cup runs, I would have flipped Letang for Karlsson in a heartbeat. Karlsson was just entering his prime years as a Defenseman while Letang was in the middle of his prime. However, I would have never wanted both on the same team, not even in the pre-Cap era. There just isn’t enough ice time to satisfy both prima donnas.
2. I would also agree that Karlsson would probably thrive under Mike Sullivan‘s bass-ackwards, opposite world coaching where forwards cover the points and the front of their own nets while Defensemen drive the offense. However, I want Sullivan and his asinine, inverted schemes out of the ‘burgh.

Where I disagree with the friends of Karlsson

1. It is bad optics to have anyone getting paid more than the face of your franchise, Sidney Crosby. Ok so that isn’t as important as the above, but it cannot be discounted.
2. Our favorite flightless fowl already have a prima donna right-handed defenseman (RHD) wanting 24+ minutes per game and Power Play time. There is not enough TOI or pucks for both Karlsson and Letang and Letang has a full-blown 35+ NMC.
3. Karlsson cannot be viewed as Letang’s successor, the San Jose Sharks‘ blue-liner is himself 33, still in his prime but on the back edge. By the time Letang’s contract expires Karlsson will also be out of his prime. A more logical choice for a possible Letang replacement would be to try and lure Oliwer Kaski back across the pond as I mentioned in a previous post. Kaski is only now entering his prime as a defenseman.
4. I must disagree with those that argue Karlsson played on bad teams and that is an excuse for his poor defensive appearance. In his tenure with the Ottawa Senators, the Sens had a record of 300 Ws, 240 L, and 79 OTL with a Pts% of 0.548%. The San Jose team to which Karlsson went had only missed the playoffs twice from 97-98 until 18-19 when Karlsson arrived. The team he came from wasn’t bad, nor was the team where he was traded. It wasn’t until Karlsson got to San Jose that the Sharks started to fail.
5. Therefore, given the above, not only do I not accept the argument that Karlsson’s bad D was a product of the teams on which he played, I contend he is not a difference maker. (Neither is Letang, but that is another story.) Ottawa failed with Karlsson during his growing years and San Jose failed during Karlsson’s prime. The only thing Karlsson accomplished in his 13-year career is personal, offensive stats.
6. Since Karlsson isn’t a difference maker, the only way this team can be considered a true Cup contender is if we had difference makers on the roster. At one time both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were true difference makers. Perhaps the two-headed monster still is, when healthy and motivated. Both generational talents made it through all 82 games last season. However, I don’t think the odds are in favor of a repeat. Actually, if Vegas Futures were to post that game, I might put $1 down on that just in case we have a repeat. The odds of that happening could turn that $1 into a retirement fund.
7. Part of the reason for the current cellar-dweller predicament in which the Sharks are mired can be argued is the price they paid to get a flashy, non-difference maker. It cost San Jose a 1st round pick (conditional) in 2019 and a 1st round pick in 2022. It also cost them a 2nd round pick in 2019 and 2021 and multiple prospects. (Rudolph Balcers, Dylan DeMelo, Joshua Norris, and Chris Tierney).
8. If it cost San Jose the above Kings ransom, they will be looking for a similar return. Like the Sharks before them, the Penguins do not have that level of capital to throw away. any attempted trade will only result in crippling the Penguins for years to come. I may never live long enough to see another Cup hoisted in Pittsburgh.
9. The Sharks will not accept a salary dump of Mikael Granlund s or Jeff Petry s or whatever in exchange for Karlsson without even more Capital, in terms of draft picks (we don’t have the prospects). Put yourselves in San Jose’s place. Would you want to throw Karlsson away for Granlund and Petry? Would you really take on that salary without any real return?
10. If the Penguins were to waste any more future assets a more logical weak spot to shore up would be the post side of the defense. Ryan Graves was a good start, but I would rather Kyle Dubas try and pry either Noah Hanifin or Nikita Zadorov off the Calgary Flames than add redundancy in the shape of Karlsson.

Conclusion:

The grass isn’t always greener. This team has suffered 6 straight seasons now of unsuccessfully trying to find greener grass in other fields. Furthermore, you do not give a drowning man a glass of water, another Letang, even if a little better adds nothing to this team. Furthermore, A person can only drive one car at a time.

Karlsson hasn’t made a positive difference in the W/L column on any team he has played. Acquiring Karlsson will not move the needle any appreciable distance for the Penguins Cup dreams, not any more than any of the other countless, bootless moves a parade of Kool-Aid drinking GMs have buried this team under over the last 6-seasons.

The future is suddenly upon our Penguins and they are woefully unprepared as they and many fans are still dancing to Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days”

Post-Script

For all the Karlsson fans out there, you will probably get your fondest wish. Dubas will undoubtedly figure out a way to completely wreck this team for time in memoriam acquiring your jewel. Over the last 6 seasons, as this team has inexorably sunk down from the ranks of contender to pretender, the near constant has been the team doing the opposite of what I wished. As of this writing the only time the team did something I not only wished but proposed, even before the rumor mill took it up, was trading Matt Murray for the 2^nd round draft pick that became Joel Blomqvist (who I coveted).