Could Senators actually make this reunion happen?

Reunions between players and teams often make good storylines, especially when former stars are coming down to the end of their careers. One good example this offseason is the Chicago Blackhawks bringing back Patrick Kane.

So, would the Senators have such a reunion up their sleeves?

If you ask veteran NHL journalist James Murphy, it might just work out.

Murphy posted an idea on X regarding the possibility of the Pittsburgh Penguins working out a trade with the Sens to send former captain Erik Karlsson back to the Nation’s Capital.

While Murphy also suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs as a potential target, the Senators would actually make a lot more sense.

The relationship between the Senators and Karlsson wasn’t exactly the best. But it wasn’t fractured. In fact, Karlsson publicly stated that he wanted to remain in Ottawa before the trade to the San Jose Sharks in 2019.

The Senators, who embraced a full-on rebuild at that point, felt that it was better to move on from their captain than to retain him through the rebuild.

That was almost eight years ago. My home time flies. And now, Karlsson’s eight-year deal is almost up. And once again, his current team isn’t too keen on re-signing him. In fact, it seems as though the Pittsburgh Penguins would rather not keep him at all.

According to Josh Yohe in The Athletic, the Penguins aren’t overly thrilled about the idea of keeping Karlsson.

So, could the Senators really pull this reunion?

Well, two obstacles stand in the way.

Senators could make Karlsson reunion happen, but hurdles stand in the way

The first major hurdle to overcome would be the acquisition cost. Yohe noted that the Penguins would like a “significant asset or two” for the veteran blueliner.

What would the Penguins want? Would someone like Drake Batherson be on their wishlist? Maybe Carter Yakemchuk might be more up the Penguins’ alley.

Assuming the deal works out, there’s also the matter of Karlsson’s $10 million cap hit. It’s actually $11.5 million, but the Sharks are retaining $1.5 million of that.

As such, the Senators would have to clear cap space to fit Karlsson. The team currently has a little over $4 million in available space. That’s not enough. Even with Batherson’s $4.9 million out the door, Ottawa would still need to figure something else out.

There’s always the possibility that the Penguins retain a portion just to make the math work. But doing so would likely raise the sticker price.

At the end of the day, the idea of Karlsson returning to Ottawa is no doubt fascinating. It would be even more fascinating if he returned to wear the “C” on his jersey right from the get-go. Nevertheless, the hurdles in the way could make this reunion nothing more than a romantic idea.

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