Pittsburgh Penguins star defenseman Erik Karlsson had an excellent 2025-26 season. In 75 games this campaign with the Metropolitan Division club, he posted 15 goals, 51 assists, 66 points, and a plus-8 rating. With numbers like these, he demonstrated that he can still make a major impact at this stage in his career. Could this lead to the Penguins selling high on Karlsson? ESPN's Greg Wyshynski included Karlsson on his latest trade board [https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/48968493/nhl-2026-offseason-trades-rankings-targets-market-draft-picks-contracts] in his "The 2027 free agent class" tier. "His salary is down to its lowest level ($7.5 million) while his cap number remains quite elephantine. But if Kyle Dubas was willing to retain in the final season of his deal, there certainly could be a potential move for Karlsson provided he's willing to play there. As always, watch Dallas," Wyshynski wrote. Karlsson has been the subject of trade speculation for multiple years now due to the Penguins being in a retool. When looking at the season he just had and noting that he is entering the final season of his contract, it would be understandable if the Penguins at least listened to offers for him. Teams looking for a high-impact offensive defenseman in their top four and for their power play would likely love to add Karlsson to their roster. The 36-year-old blueliner still has a lot to give at this stage in his career, and it would not be surprising if he generated interest this summer. However, with the Penguins taking a big step forward this season by making the playoffs, it would also be understandable if they wanted to hold on to Karlsson. We will need to wait and see what happens with the star defenseman from here.
