Screen Shots: Erik Karlsson Trade Fallout, Toronto Maple Leafs, Joe Thornton

This is Screen Shots, a regular THN.com feature in which yours truly analyzes a few different hockey topics and writes about them using a few brief paragraphs. You know the deal by now, so let’s get to it:

The fallout from the Pittsburgh Penguins’ acquisition of Erik Karlsson continues, with many heralding Karsson’s arrival as the piece of the puzzle that makes the Pens a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

We’re not so sure about that. This isn’t to say Penguins GM-president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas didn’t get the best player in the three-team trade. To be sure, when you bring in the reigning Norris Trophy-winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, you’re definitely going to be improved – in this case, particularly on offense. The 33-year-old Swede posted a career-high 25 goals and 76 assists for 101 points on a terrible San Jose Sharks team. Now that he’ll be sharing the ice with Penguins icons Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, Karlsson could improve on those individual totals.

However, it’s still a stretch – at least, in this writer’s mind – to believe that Karlsson’s arrival in Pittsburgh makes the Pens a true powerhouse. 

While it’s true the Penguins’ top two forwards lines are of very high quality, their bottom six forwards have significant question marks. Dubas signed and traded for experienced players – Lars Eller, Vinnie Hinostroza and Noel Acciari were signed as UFAs, and Rem Pitlick was brought over as part of the Karlsson trade – but Pittsburgh’s organizational depth is thin, and an already-old Pens team got older in the Karlsson trade.

The Penguins are now an average of 31 years old, a fact that could be a bad harbinger for what’s to come. Center Jeff Carter, 38, looked like he was on his last legs last season, averaging only 13:42 of ice time. And Letang, Crosby and Malkin all are at least 36 years old. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s collection of prospects is one of the least-imposing groups in the league. If the injury bug strikes, as it usually does to every team, the Penguins will have a tough time replacing the wounded players.

But the biggest issue for Pittsburgh may well be in net. We were never fans of backup Casey DeSmith (who was traded to Montreal in the Karlsson trade), but as it stands, starter Tristan Jarry will be backed up by first-year Penguin Alex Nedeljkovic. 

Jarry is coming off a subpar season in which his goals-against average ballooned from 2.42 in 2021-22 to 2.90 last season, and his save percentage dropped from .919 to .909. Nedeljkovic also had his individual stats worsen, going from a 3.31 G.A.A. in 2021-22 with Detroit to 3.53 with the Red Wings last season. His save percentage also fell from .901 in 2021-22 to .895 last season.

All of this should temper the expectations of Pens fans. This is far from a perfect team, and while they’re a more offensively potent squad with Karlsson on board, the defensive side of the game could be their Achilles heel. The highly competitive Metropolitan Division leaves little room for error by Pittsburgh, and while there’s every chance the Penguins could return to their glory days, there’s also a good chance it’s still not enough to make them a dominant bunch overall.

The UFA signing of Martin Jones in Toronto was surprising to some, but Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving knows what most people know in the modern-day NHL: you never have enough goalie depth, and it’s always a good idea to stockpile as much of it as you can.

We still believe the Leafs are going to start the 2023-24 campaign with Ilya Samsonov as their starter and youngster Joseph Woll as Samsonov’s understudy. But if either of them suffers an early-season injury, Jones is a decent-enough Plan B – and that’s only if he clears waivers after training camp, an unlikely scenario as other teams may have their own goaltending depth issues and pluck Jones off the waiver wire.

Jones played fairly well in Seattle last season, and he'll be playing in front of a Leafs team whose defense corps is better than the Kraken's. The business of the game, however, could dictate that his time in Toronto may well be short. And if they do lose Jones via waivers, the Leafs will become a team searching the waiver wire for Jones’ replacement. So don’t get too attached to Jones, Leafs fans. He may end the season in Blue and White, but he may also be wearing another team’s jersey sooner than later.

Finally, congratulations to legendary center Joe Thornton, who will have his No. 19 retired by the Soo Greyhounds in November. It's the first honor for a player who will be rightfully referred to as San Jose's greatest-ever player and a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Thornton hasn’t officially retired, but at 44 years old, his professional playing days are all but done. And although he didn’t win a Cup during his NHL days, he’s going to be regarded as one of the most skilled, smart playmakers ever to play the game. His Sharks jersey likely will be retired sometime soon as well, and it’s entirely deserved. Hats off to him for an amazing playing career.