With a new contract under his belt, the Pittsburgh Penguins can expect big things from Drew O'Connor. One of the worst kept secrets in the hockey world may be reaching a climax in the next few days as the Pittsburgh Penguins continue their pursuit of Erik Karlsson. The Penguins have been in on Karlsson since the draft and with a second buyout window opening for them, the time has come for big decisions to be made. Kyle Dubas and company weren’t alone in this saga, however, as up until relatively recently, the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken were also involved. Karlsson said himself to a Swedish outlet that those teams and the Toronto Maple Leafs have all sniffed around for him. The Penguins might be the only team left in the hunt, [https://theathletic.com/4746255/2023/08/03/penguins-erik-karlsson-trade/] though as other teams have made major decisions on their blue lines. In the last few weeks, the Kraken extended defenseman Vince Dunn to a contract worth $7.35 million, locking up their defensive group and filling their salary cap. After some waiting around, the Hurricanes finally locked up Tony DeAngelo, essentially filling all of their defensive spots. As for the Maple Leafs, they’re in deeper cap issues than the Penguins by currently sitting $12+ million over the cap ceiling. Other teams might be poking around, but the interest doesn’t seem to be there, it’s all come down to the Penguins. With forward Jake Guentzel projected to miss at least the first few weeks of the season, the need for Karlsson has grown in Pittsburgh. Insider Elliotte Friedman also suggested on NHL Network that a solution could be seen as early as this weekend. The Penguins have that buyout window opening soon and it will most likely be utilized to take the final swing for Karlsson. With the likely chance there are no other competitors, the Penguins seem like they will be the winners of the Karlsson sweepstakes. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Jake Guentzel Injury Adds to Penguins Need for Erik Karlsson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/jake-guentzel-injury-pittsburgh-penguins-need-erik-karlsson] Jake Guentzel Undergoes Successful Ankle Surgery, Will Miss Start of Penguins Season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/jake-guentzel-ankle-surgery-miss-start-pittsburgh-penguins-season] Penguins Should Consider Mikael Granlund Buyout in Second Window [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-consider-mikael-granlund-buyout-second-window] Penguins to Close In on Erik Karlsson This Weekend [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-close-in-erik-karlsson-weekend] Penguins Promote Multiple Front Office Staffers, Name Kyle Dubas GM [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-promote-front-office-kyle-dubas-gm] * undefined * undefined
