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Two Years After the Erik Karlsson Blockbuster, Penguins Fans Are Left Asking: What Went Wrong?
Erik Karlsson was dealt to the Penguins two years ago, and despite all the hype, fans are still wondering how things went so wrong for the superstar defenseman.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for three straight seasons, and after the first one, they went out and made a blockbuster deal to land one of the NHL's best defenseman.
At that time, Erik Karlsson was a three-time Norris Trophy winner, with the team giving up two forwards, a defenseman and a first-round pick for the now 35-year old that was coming off a 25-goal, 101 point campaign with the Sharks.
The trade reshaped both franchises - fuelling San Jose's rebuild while leaving Pittsburgh searching for answers
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, this deal did more for San Jose than it did them, as the team have gone on to land several top draft picks, with the future looking bright for the Sharks.
In the deal, Pittsburgh didn't give up too much beyond Mikael Granlund and a first-round pick, but the biggest issue was taking on all of Karlsson's salary, something that has held them back from being able to make big deals over the past two years with all that money weighing them down.
Karlsson's arrival was supposed to reignite the Penguins' Stanley Cup window but instead disrupted team chemistry
However, the biggest issue for Karlsson on the ice has been his lack of defensive play, and with the veteran struggling to perform offensively as he did in San Jose, the lack of a defensive game has been even more glaring.
Ultimately, at the time this was a risk worth taking for the Penguins, even if many saw it as a mistake, and with the team looking to take a big swing to make one last Stanley Cup run around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but it was a calculated risk, and two years later it looks even worse for the Penguins in hindsight.
Karlsson has been suggested as a possibility for multiple NHL teams, and the Hurricanes could represent the best potential fit.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 10 | 50 ANSWERS Two Years After the Erik Karlsson Blockbuster, Penguins Fans Are Left Asking: What Went Wrong? Will the Penguins trade Erik Karlsson before next season? | ||
| Yes | 39 | 78 % |
| No | 11 | 22 % |
| List of polls | ||