Daily Nuggets: Unexpected Pacific Division Team Enters Karlsson Sweepstakes

We took Saturday off from the Erik Karlsson trade chatter. Today is a new day, and we have learned that Karlsson has spoken to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Seattle Kraken, and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Kraken would be an intriguing option that lacks a No. 1 defenseman. Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon made it a point to acquire a No. one defensemen and center, and things turned out all right. Could the Kraken be taking a page from the Golden Knights’ playbook?

The Boston Bruins had a memorable regular season last year. Speed and skill led to a record-breaking 65 wins and 135 points. The Bruins are in the midst of shifting to a bigger and more physical lineup. Milan Lucic, Morgan Geekie, and James van Riemsdyk were signed as free agents, and each measure 6 feet 3.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery runs a high-tempo system. The team had a record-breaking regular season. Is general manager Don Sweeney panicking over the Bruins’ first-round exit last postseason? Will the bigger players be able to play with enough pace? Or will Montgomery have to alter the Bruins’ system?

We know the Philadelphia Flyers are in a tough spot. They used their first-round draft pick on a player who will not be able to join the team until 2026. Sportsnet ranked the Flyers dead-last in their mid-summer power rankings. That is not to say better days are ahead. It is going to be a while. This is phase one of a complete teardown.

General manager Daniel Briere has moved on from Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo and was able to trade Ivan Provorov for a nice return. Sometimes it is easier to take a wrecking ball to a damaged building vs. repairing each room individually. Briere is driving the crane with the wrecking ball.