How the Erik Karlsson Trade Affects the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have one less superstar to worry about playing in the Atlantic Division.

On Thursday afternoon the Ottawa Senators traded their captain Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks, in exchange for multiple prospects, picks and conditional picks that you can see for yourself here. That makes Karlsson the second captain to be traded in the past week after Max Pacioretty was dealt from the Montréal Canadiens to the Vegas Golden Knights. Looking at all of this, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Atlantic Division should be ecstatic.

Now I know there was a lot of chatter over the summer about the Leafs potentially making moves to acquire Karlsson and various pieces on why it was or why it wasn’t a good idea to go after the two-time Norris Trophy winner, even after the Leafs locked up John Tavares for 11 years.

But here’s the thing Leafs fans: Karlsson is no longer in the Atlantic Division, and that is a glorious sight to behold.

Karlsson Joins The Wild Wild West

Erik Karlsson has played in 627 games, all for the Sens. He has 518 points, the fourth most in franchise history for a defenseman, with 195 being scored on the power play. He has a 4.8% career relative Corsi, averages over 25 minutes on the ice each night, has blocked 887 shots, is a four-time All-Star and had 35 points in 36 games against the Maple Leafs.

So the Toronto Maple Leafs should count it as a blessing that they only have to play Karlsson twice a year now instead of 4 times.

The Leafs now play a rebuilding Sens squad that lacks elite talent and have far too many question marks on defense. With the offense the Leafs have, that should be four easy wins on the schedule while they make a run for the Stanley Cup.

The Sharks have immediately become a solid choice to win the Pacific Division and a strong candidate to win the West outright. They now have a defense consisting of Karlsson, fellow Norris Trophy recipient Brent Burns along with Marc-Édouard Vlasic. The offense remains intact from last year with and Evander Kane returns after signing a seven-year extension. If Martin Jones remains healthy and plays like he normally does, the Sharks could easily be a contender.

I wrote an entire piece earlier this week about how Leafs fans should enjoy the clown-show in Ottawa and be thankful the Leafs aren’t run like the Sens. But with this trade, I can’t help but feel sorry for Ottawa. Not the Owner or management, but the city and the players.

If you are a Senators fan, I am genuinely sorry. Your team is run by some of the most incompetent executives in all of hockey, and the owner of your team is a meddling nuisance who can’t seem to keep quiet.

If you are a Senators player, I am genuinely sorry. You are representing a franchise that is in a nosedive and are about to become the meat shields against the rest of the NHL’s cannon fire.

The Sens trading the face of their franchise eliminates any chance of them making the playoffs, and will see them place last in the Atlantic Division, even below the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings. Unfortunately they do not have a first round pick next year, it belongs to the Colorado Avalanche thanks to the Matt Duchene trade.

It’s gonna be a long year in Ottawa, but the Toronto Maple Leafs and the rest of the Eastern Conference will be thankful that Erik Karlsson is no longer an issue in the East.

Statistics courtesy of hockeyreference.com

Salary information courtesy of capfriendly.com