Maple Leafs eye Erik Karlsson in bold blue line shake-up trade idea

Erik Karlsson’s future in Pittsburgh remains a question mark, and one NHL insider believes a high-profile move could bring him back to Canada. TSN’s Travis Yost recently floated a bold trade idea: Karlsson to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

At 35, Karlsson isn’t the same two-time Norris Trophy winner he once was, but he still brings elite offensive instincts. Yost sees him as a short-term spark for a Leafs team that has seen its blue-line offense slide. Toronto's power play cooled off last season, and Karlsson could revive that side of their game.

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But there’s a major hurdle, Karlsson’s $11.5 million cap hit. The Leafs currently have only $5.3 million in cap space, meaning they’d have to move money to make it work. One way? Sending Morgan Rielly the other way. Rielly has a $7.5 million cap hit and has long been Toronto’s top puck-mover on the back end.

Yost admits Rielly being traded still feels unlikely, but added that Karlsson could be a viable short-term replacement if Toronto wanted to shake things up. NHL insider Chris Johnston also noted that Karlsson is open to a trade and has a limited no-movement clause, which could include Toronto as an option.

Pittsburgh isn't dying to move Karlsson, but with two years left on his deal, the contract becomes easier to manage and more attractive to playoff teams like the Leafs.

Would Toronto be willing to take a big swing to boost its blue line offense?

Nothing is on the verge, but this is the kind of creativity Toronto may need if they are serious about chasing a Stanley Cup.

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