RUMOR: Insider Reveals Kyle Dubas Already Looking To Trade Erik Karlsson

The Erik Karlsson era concluded with the San Jose Sharks last offseason when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a three-team deal. Despite his remarkable 101 point season with the Sharks, Karlsson's performance in his first year with the Penguins has been disappointing with six goals and 16 assists in the first 30 games which is on pace for 60 points.

While 60 points would be respectable for most defensemen, it falls short of what everyone expected from the 3x time Norris Trophy winner coming to a team with a lot of offensive fire power. Speculation about the Penguins considering a trade has arisen, fueled by Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now. Kingerski reports that if winning isn't on the horizon, both sides might part ways. This will potentially allow Dubas to recoup the initial draft picks he lost in the trade.

Here what Kingerski had to say:

With that being said, any trade might be more likely next summer due to Karlsson's substantial $11.5 million AAV contract, which currently places him among the highest paid players in the NHL. The Penguins could really benefit from exploring options to optimize their roster for the future if things don't go their way and address Karlsson's salary in the coming seasons.