Hurricanes still show interest in Erik Karlsson as Penguins weigh their next move

Pierre LeBrun reports the Hurricanes still have interest in Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson.

The word that matters is "still." Carolina is 15-3-2 and sits first in the NHL, and the team that has the league's best record is apparently not done looking at its blue line.

LeBrun's report today says the Hurricanes' interest in the 36-year-old has not gone away:

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Karlsson has been the one bright spot on a Pittsburgh team that is 27th in the league at 7-10-2. He has 19 points in 19 games this season, including 2 power-play goals and 5 power-play assists.

His minus-8 rating is the other side of that, and any contender will notice it as well.

We already know Karlsson as the Penguins' top trade chip as Kyle Dubas listens on his veterans. Carolina is one of the few teams that fits the profile of a buyer with a real shot at going deep.

The complication is the contract. Karlsson carries an $11.5 million cap hit through the end of this season, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, and he has a full no-move clause. Nothing happens without his approval, so he can pick the destination.

Carolina would be a very good place to land. The Hurricanes are 9-2-1 on the road, they won 4-1 in Seattle last night, and their blue line already includes K'Andre Miller, who logged 22:48 against the Kraken.

Can the Penguins really get a first-round pick for Karlsson?

Pittsburgh would like one, and the idea is not crazy on its face. A defenseman producing at a point-per-game pace is rare, and the power-play numbers are real.

But we think a first is a stretch. He is 36, he is a pure rental on an expiring deal, and the cap hit is the largest part of what any buyer has to absorb. A second-round pick or a prospect looks much closer to what the market will bear.

Karlsson's own situation may slow everything down too. Earlier today we noted that Pierre LeBrun's report on the Penguins and Karlsson's camp points to a January sit-down to map out next steps. That timeline suggests nobody is rushing.

Carolina hosts Seattle on Saturday, and Pittsburgh welcomes Ottawa the same night. Neither team has said a word publicly about a deal, and the January meeting is the date to circle.

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.

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