Movement in the NHL

In the time since I penned the thoughts on the Max Pacioretty trade to Vegas, two other big things happened. And why yes, the picture is a sign of things to come, as well as a bit of a face reveal, so if you want to punch it, now you have a visual. All that out of the way, let's get to the big news stories.

First bit of news is something of a shocker if you've been reading the headlines in the weeks prior about Tyler Seguin. For all the talk about Seguin and not being in talks with the Dallas Stars about a contract extension, the official news is that the Stars and Seguin agreed on an 8-year extension that kicks in after this season to the tune of just under 10 million per year. This development not only secures the future of Seguin in Dallas, but also gives them a chance to figure out their team beyond this season, as Jason Spezza and Marc Methot come off the books in addition to Seguin's contract extension kicking in. Seguin is coming off of a career high in goals and he has posted at least 72 points in every season with Dallas.

Now, for the news of the Ottawa Senators' long national nightmare (or is it beginning?) that they have finally traded Erik Karlsson (I told you the picture would be a hint). Yes, the Senators sent Karlsson and Francis Perron to the San Jose Sharks and get in return Josh Norris, Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo, Rudolf Balcers, and conditional draft picks. On the surface, the Sharks clearly won this trade, but let's break down the parts.

First, what the Senators get are two decent players in Tierney and DeMelo, players that will play right away with the team. Neither is really a goal scorer, but Tierney has two-way potential up front while DeMelo is a depth piece on the blue line. Norris was the Sharks' first round pick in 2017 and was seen as a Logan Couture clone. He played with the Michigan Wolverines last season, where he is likely to play again this season. Balcers spent last season in the Sharks' AHL system, and he will be headed to Belleville to start the season. As for the Sharks, Perron is a throw in that will head to the team's AHL squad while Karlsson adds to an already strong defensive unit. He will take the offensive pressure off Brent Burns while giving opponents matchup problems, as Burns and Karlsson are likely playing on different pairings.

If you're a Senators fan, first, I feel sorry for you, as this will be a long season, and you deserve better, especially when it comes to ownership. The trade saved just 3.7 million (think of the savings, Eugene) and given the Keystone Kops comedy that is the Senators' front office, it's hard to blame Karlsson for wanting out. This is an instance where any Senators fans left should be hoping for a change in ownership. Of course, this season is likely just the beginning of the pain you're going to feel. Sharks fans should be excited because that window that could have closed in two seasons is now suddenly open for a little while longer. Please, don't waste Karlsson's career like the Senators did.