Dallas Stars Rumors: Stars Considered Frontrunner For Erik Karlsson

On Tuesday evening, the Dallas Stars were linked by sources as a frontrunner to land defenseman Erik Karlsson. While nothing is confirmed, this rumor carries some significant weight.

The Dallas Stars love making moves after the “big day” of July 1 during the offseason. And if a “below expectations” July 1, 2018 managed to fog up your knowledge of this fact, GM Jim Nill found a way to clear the air on Tuesday.

For the past few days, the sweepstakes for defenseman Erik Karlsson has picked up extensively across the league. And if you know anything about the situation going on in Ottawa right now, you know why.

Though he won’t be a free agent until the summer of 2019, the 28-year-old defenseman is looking for an extension now. Why, you might ask? Well, because he’s one of, if not the, top defenders in the NHL. That’s why.

Karlsson is what you might consider a generational talent. He’s been one of the top offensive defensemen in the game over the past few seasons and only seems to get better with each passing year.

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But after falling one goal short of the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, the Senators fell off in a big way this past season. However, Karlsson’s numbers and overall performance remained admirable. The Senators were rumored to be shopping him at the trade deadline, but couldn’t seem to find the right fit or price.

A few days ago, the Senators offered him a long-term deal of eight years and $80 million ($10 million AAV). Considering he would be making less than Drew Doughty, the offer was considered well short of expectations, leaving Karlsson as a hot commodity on the trade market.

And now, the Dallas Stars might be taking a swing at him, along with plenty of other teams. But from the sound of it, the Stars might have the advantage.

Early on Tuesday evening, rumors began to spread from The Athletic that the Stars were considered a frontrunner for Erik Karlsson in a trade.

NHL source tells The Athletic he thinks Dallas has emerged as front runner for Karlsson and Bobby Ryan will not be part of the deal. No other details.
— Chris Stevenson 🇨🇦🏒⛳️🍺 (@CJ_Stevenson) July 3, 2018

It’s a simple tweet, but could have a significant impact on both sides if it turns out to be true.

Let’s lay out the basics.

First, Karlsson is an elite talent and is only 28 years old. He’s worth anywhere from 65-80 points in a season and can skate 26+ minutes a game. Those are unreal traits for a defender and make him a top value.

But he will be an unrestricted free agent come next offseason and likely wants $11 million or more per year. He’s definitely earned it, but the Stars may not be willing (or able) to pay it to him with a Tyler Seguin extension (still no word on that) possibly kicking in. It’s possible to get both, but it would require quite a bit of cap gymnastics to make it happen.

And if Dallas wants to land him, the return price is reportedly through the roof. The Stars would likely have to give up at least two NHL-ready players and a high prospect, plus at least one draft pick. Even that might not be enough.

So it becomes a question of how much Nill is ready to spend. Karlsson would be another significant injection of offensive and defensive talent to the blue line that would only further the argument that the Stars own a top-five defense in the NHL (especially after 2017-18).

From the various reports that came across Twitter, it doesn’t look like either side is quite ready to shake hands just yet. There are still ongoing debates, and other teams are involved as well. But for now, Dallas seems to have the lead in talks and be the closest to a deal.

Next: Updating The Stars' Cap: What It Means

How close? That’s the question. We’ll likely find out in the coming hours or days. I will also have more coverage for you in the morning. So stay tuned.