Darren Dreger said on TSN on Wednesday that his "gut feeling" is that Erik Karlsson will be traded by the Ottawa Senators. (TSN)
Ken Warren of the Ottawa Sun wrote that the Rangers have a number of draft picks this weekend and have the "bankroll" to acquire a "marquee name."
Warren notes that in addition to the seven picks the Rangers have in the first three-rounds this season, they already have three picks in the first two-rounds next year. (Ottawa Sun)
He adds that the Rangers are in the unfamiliar position of having cap space and can offer him a "lucrative extension." (Ottawa Sun)
Dan Rosen said on the NHL Network in late May that he wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers went after Karlsson and that he feels that they have a "big move in them."
Senators GM Pierre Dorion has said that he won't trade Karlsson at the draft and will offer him a contract extension offer on July 1.
Chris Stevenson wrote at The Athletic that for the Senators to make a run at extending Karlsson, they had to move Mike Hoffman. Hoffman was traded to San Jose and then to Florida on Tuesday.
Frank Seravalli of TSN noted that Vegas is likely to re-visit talks with Ottawa about Karlsson after they came close to making a deal at the trade deadline.
Adam Rotter: On paper, the Rangers and Senators match up nicely. The Rangers have all of the draft picks that Ottawa would like, they could offer players that could play for them right now and also take back a contract, though maybe not Bobby Ryan's. Then there is also the fact that the Rangers have cap space, have a history of getting big name players and that Karlsson is good buddies with Henrik Lundqvist and Mika Zibanejad.
Whether he fits with where the Rangers are right now is up for debate and there are questions about whether, at the stage they are at, they would want to add a seven-year and, at least, $10 million per season commitment starting in 2019-20. My guess is that the Rangers and Ottawa have likely had a discussion or two about Karlsson, but that they would only go after him to a certain point. I don't think the Rangers will go "all-in" to get Karlsson but if Ottawa was willing to take 28, a second round pick Namestnikov and John Gilmour, for Karlsson and maybe Marian Gaborik or Clarke McArthur's contract, I think they would do it. I don't see the Rangers offering up what Ottawa would actually want to get in return for Karlsson. The Rangers could also very well take the wait and see approach, keep all of their assets and excess cap space and instead go after Karlsson if he becomes a free agent on July 1, 2019. He may not be a total fit for where the Rangers are then either, but at that point it would only cost them money.