Elliotte Friedman Reveals Erik Karlsson Trade Talks are Heating Up After $6 Million Bonus is Paid

For months now, the expectation coming into the summer was that the Pittsburgh Penguins could look to move Erik Karlsson after a solid 2024/25 campaign, and thus far, things seemingly haven't changed.

The belief around the league was that Karlsson's massive contract could hold up a potential deal, but according to top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, things have just been made much, much easier.

In his latest report, Friedman revealed that Karlsson was just paid a major $6 million bonus, making his actual salary much lower this season, giving them the opportunity to trade him to a contending team that can fit him under their salary cap.

It's unclear just how much this bonus has effected Karlsson's market, but given that the team are pushing hard to move him, if they can retain some of his remaining salary, they could get a good price back for the three-time Norris Trophy winner.

Last year, the 35-year old tallied 11 goals and 53 points, showing that he can still be an offensive threat, but with the Penguins not contending in the next few years, it makes sense if they get aggressive trying to ship him out in the next few months before training camp begins.

Ultimately, this latest update will make it much easier for GM Kyle Dubas to trade Karlsson, and while we're yet to hear much on his market and whether or not teams are ready to pull the trigger, all signs point to a trade at some point in the off-season.