Nick Kypreos believes Erik Karlsson will be traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins at some point, and the guessing game is already on.
IceMetrix passed the comment along without a destination, asking fans where he could land.
Karlsson leads the Penguins with 12 points, and 11 of them are assists.
His $11,500,000 cap hit is the biggest among NHL defensemen.
Pittsburgh sits at 5-6-1, sixth in the Metropolitan, with Utah visiting Thursday.
Moving a contract that size is like selling a hot tub to someone in a condo. They need the room, and the floor has to hold it.
So who actually has both the room and the need?
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Erik Karlsson trade scenarios highlight three intriguing fits for Penguins star
Dallas makes the most sense. The Stars allow a league-low 1.8 goals per game but score just 2.9.
Esa Lindell is out until at least October 31, and the Stars have won five straight anyway.
That's the best fit on this list by a mile. Karlsson's passing on a team that already defends like that would be a nightmare for the rest of the Central.
Boston leads the Atlantic at 9-2-1 and allows just 2.2 goals a game.
Charlie McAvoy tops the Bruins' blue line with 6 points. Karlsson would double that overnight.
New Jersey's top-scoring defenseman, Dougie Hamilton, has just 5 points.
The Devils are 7-4-0 and have already added Connor Hellebuyck this month, so Sunny Mehta clearly isn't shy.
Colorado already has Cale Makar and his 11 points. Adding Karlsson there feels like overkill for a 6-5-1 team.
The Rangers have Adam Fox and his 17 points on the back end.
Their bigger problem sits in the crease, with Igor Shesterkin on IR until at least September 15.
Vancouver is the one name here that makes no sense. The Canucks are 2-10-1 and have lost 10 straight.
A 36-year-old doesn't fix a team allowing 4.6 goals a game.
Kyle Dubas holds the cards for now. The longer the Penguins hover around .500, the louder his phone is going to get.
Are the Dallas Stars the best landing spot for Erik Karlsson?
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