Grading Trades: Sharks Send Erik Karlsson to the Penguins

Welcome to a new series at NHL Trade Talk called “Grading Trades”. This series will look at past trades in the last 10-20 years and provide an overall grade for all teams involved. The first trade we will start with is the blockbuster trade that happened in August. The San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens worked out a deal surrounding Erik Karlsson. Let’s get into it!

The Full Karlsson Trade Details:

Pittsburgh Penguins Receive: Erik Karlsson, Dillon Hamaliuk, 2026 3rd Round Pick & Rem Pitlick (via MTL)

San Jose Sharks Receive: 2024 1st Round Pick, Mikael Granlund, Jan Rutta, Mike Hoffman (via MTL) & $1.5 Million of Karlsson’s Salary

Montreal Canadiens Receive: 2025 2nd Round Pick, Jeff Petry, Casey DeSmith & Nathan Legare (all via PIT)

Erik Karlsson to Penguins Trade Grades:

Pittsburgh Penguins: C

I am giving them a C because the trade appears to have set the Penguins back for the next few years. With their main core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang locked up long-term, and now adding Karlsson to the mix, it makes a rebuild extremely hard. Success in the current season is crucial for the team’s future. Failure to perform may result in a much-needed rebuilding phase. The trade was executed to buy some time, as it seemed like a last resort to prevent a rebuild from happening.

Secondly, Karlsson’s fit with the Penguins hasn’t been perfect. He has six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 33 games. Although it’s gotten better of late, the team’s power play hasn’t improved much despite Karlsson’s role as quarterback. And, as unlikely as it would be, this has led to questions about potentially moving on from him this early in the season.

San Jose Sharks: A

Sharks traded Karlsson to remove an expensive asset. Although he scored 101 points last year, it was the only bright spot. Perhaps waiting too long to make the deal, the trade didn’t fetch a lot of assets. Still, the Sharks found a partner and are preparing for the future.

The Sharks can potentially sell the trio of Granlund, Hoffman, and Rutta at the deadline, which could assist in acquiring more assets for the future. Furthermore, it seems likely that the 2024 first-round pick received from the Penguins will be a pick somewhere in the late-lottery to mid-round range. This could give the Sharks two picks in the first 15 of the first round. This is the reason why I felt the Sharks deserve an A in this trade.

Montreal Canadiens: B+

Finally, I am giving the Canadiens a B+ for their overall involvement in this trade. Although it was a small move, they were able to acquire Petry and DeSmith, as well as a 2025 2nd-round draft pick. GM Kent Hughes made a calculated move to acquire additional assets that will help facilitate a trade. The Canadiens were able to secure not one, but two extra draft picks, in addition to the one received in exchange for DeSmith and Petry. This move demonstrates the team’s commitment to rebuilding and securing its future.

Next: Oilers Overcome Early Hurdles Against Kings for 4th Straight Win