The Penguins have no intention of trading Erik Karlsson, plus the latest on Rangers center Mika Zibanejad in today’s NHL Rumor Mill
THE PENGUINS WON’T PEDDLE ERIK KARLSSON THIS SUMMER
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has no intention of trading Erik Karlsson this summer.
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).
The 35-year-old defenseman has one year remaining on his contract. The Penguins are carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million annual cap hit. He is owed a $6 million signing bonus on July 1, and just $1.5 million in remaining salary after that.
That’s partly why Karlsson recently surfaced in trade rumors regarding the Penguins’ offseason plans. His improved performance this season has LeBrun believing there would be clubs interested in the puck-moving rearguard this summer.
However, Dubas told LeBrun that he’s not happy that Karlsson’s name is out there. He praised the veteran blueliner’s performance this season, saying the Penguins consider him part of their retooling process, and they don’t want to trade him this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s understandable why Dubas wants to retain Karlsson. His performance this season is among the reasons the Penguins have exceeded expectations and are currently jockeying for a playoff berth in the Metropolitan Division.
If Karlsson’s play drops off next season, they can try to shop him at next year’s trade deadline or let him depart as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
COULD THE RANGERS ATTEMPT TO MOVE MIKA ZIBANEJAD THIS SUMMER?
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted that Mika Zibanejad was honored by the New York Rangers earlier this week for playing in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season game. He wonders if the 32-year-old center’s next milestone will be celebrated with another team.
Proteau pointed out that Zibanejad has improved this season, with 30 goals and 67 points in 70 games. He’s still an effective top-six forward, but in the second half of his career, he’ll have to be traded from the rebuilding Rangers if he hopes to win the Stanley Cup.
Rangers GM Chris Drury didn’t attempt to move Zibanejad at the March trade deadline. However, Proteau suspects he could revisit that matter during the offseason. He has a full no-movement clause, but perhaps he’d consider waiving it to join a Stanley Cup contender.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zibanejad is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. His full NMC remains until that season, when it becomes a no-movement clause for waivers and a modified no-trade clause.
The market for Zibanejad probably wasn’t that good last summer because of his age, the drop-off in his production, and the remaining years of his contract. However, his turnaround this season on a much-worse Rangers club might improve his value now.
It was rumored last year that Drury wanted to move Zibanejad, but he refused to waive his NMC. Maybe it’ll be different this year after the Rangers failed to bounce back from last season’s disappointing performance.