Could Erik Karlsson return to the Ottawa Senators?

It was difficult for Ottawa Senators fans to see captain Erik Karlsson leave the club last season, but reports suggest he could be open to a return.

The Ottawa Senators traded their star defenceman and captain Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks last summer, with the fan-favourite not viewed as being in the club’s long-term plans.

This came despite reports that the Senators had attempted to re-sign Karlsson, but hadn’t been able to come to terms with him before deciding to part ways a year before his deal expired.

Now that Karlsson’s year on the West Coast is over, he looks set to hit free agency in hopes of securing himself a new long-term deal.

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Reports are now beginning to emerge that suggest that Karlsson is hoping to receive offers from a couple of teams specifically, namely the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators.

The reason cited by the Ottawa Sun’s Don Brennan for these two teams, in particular, is the fact that Karlsson’s wife, Melinda, is homesick and the pair would prefer to move closer to her family.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner is seemingly open to a return to the Canadian capital, despite the difficult circumstances that surrounded his departure, but would the Senators be willing to take him back at the start of a rebuild?

The Senators did attempt to re-sign Karlsson to a long-term deal before trading him, so there was certainly some initial interest in keeping him around.

New head coach D.J. Smith was hired in part due to his defensive-minded approach and work on the Toronto Maple Leafs penalty kill – so giving him a huge defensive piece such as Karlsson may not be totally out of the realm of possibility.

The biggest issue, however, if the length of the contract and the cost it would incur for the team.

Karlsson made just 53 regular season appearances with the Sharks, registering three goals and 45 total assists, due to a recurring knee injury that many feel is likely to creep up again throughout the remainder of the 29-year-old’s career.

With many rumours suggesting $11 million could be the number Karlsson is interested in, it is unlikely that owner Eugene Melnyk would be willing to give the Swedish defenceman that much, especially considering their rocky history and lingering injury concerns.

If Karlsson is serious about wanting to be closer to his wife’s family, that could potentially work in the favour of the Senators – meaning that he may be willing to take a more team-friendly deal if it puts him in the situation he most desires.

A situation like that would most likely have to come with a full No Move Clause for the duration of the deal, however.

Bringing Karlsson back could see a lot of positivity return to the team from the fanbase, but could equally frustrate many that are buying into the full rebuild that has already begun with the departures of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel.

Karlsson would be a great leader for the team once again and could help mentor the likes of Thomas Chabot and Erik Brannstrom, helping the new wave of defensive stars in their early days.

It is unlikely that Karlsson does return to the Ottawa Senators, but it is an interesting storyline that is likely to continue into July, especially if the reports prove true and he is interested in returning due to his family.

What do you think Sens fans? Would you like to see EK65 return to the team? What kind of contract would you be happy with if that is the case? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!