Former Oilers Defenseman Reveals He Was Almost Traded For Erik Karlsson
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Tom Banks
Sep 29, 2023 (1:13 PM)
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The 2022-23 season was a tough one for some Oilers players, and with the rampant speculation surrounding Erik Karlsson, it was made much, much tougher than it needed to be.
A veteran defenseman
According to Tyson Barrie, who was ultimately traded for Mattias Ekholm, he was close to being traded for Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, and was blindsided by the new trade to Nashville.
«Leaving Edmonton was tough on me, for sure,» Barrie said. «I thought we made some steps the year before, went to the Conference Final. I felt like a big part of that, felt like I was having a pretty good year, and I didn't really think I was on the radar. I had heard some Erik Karlsson rumours. I talked to [Holland], and he told me, 'Hey, that's kind of the only place you're going to go if we have a chance to get Erik Karlsson.' I said, 'Hey, I get it, no problem.' Something came together last minute, kind of caught me off guard.»
Given the Oilers need for an upgrade offensively on the blue line, their interest in Karlsson made complete sense, but after no deal went through, it appears everyone was blindsided by the move.
No movement after all
Despite several teams being interested in Karlsson, he ended up staying put at the trade deadline, with the Sharks opting to move him this summer in a package with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Given what the Sharks were asking for Karlsson, it made sense for the Oilers to stay put and not cave in to their demands, but even for a guy as tough as Barrie, it must have been a hard ride knowing that he could be traded at any minute, before ultimately being shocked by a completely different trade to Nashville.
As Read on Oilers Daily - Ex-Oilers Defenseman Barrie Tells All About How Holland Tried to Acquire Erik Karlsson
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