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Tampa Bay Lightning: Twitter reactions to Erik Karlsson rumors

By Lane Fahey

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 28: (L-R) Shea Weber #6 of the Montreal Canadiens, Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators and Victor Hedman #77 of the Tampa Bay Lightning look on during player introductions prior to the 2017 Coors Light NHL All-Star Skills Competition at Staples Center on January 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 28: (L-R) Shea Weber #6 of the Montreal Canadiens, Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators and Victor Hedman #77 of the Tampa Bay Lightning look on during player introductions prior to the 2017 Coors Light NHL All-Star Skills Competition at Staples Center on January 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Could Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson head to the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer? Twitter comments on the Karlsson trade rumors.

Throughout the offseason, the National Hockey League has been buzzing with Free Agency signings, trade rumors and contract extensions. One of the more recent trade rumors that rocked the internet was the chance that Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson would be traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Earlier in the summer, the Bolts somehow had a chance at the hottest free agent on the market, John Tavares. With Tavares now in the same division, signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Lightning looks on to build the defense.

No sooner than the ink dried on Tavares’ contract with the Maple Leafs, the attention of the hockey world was squarely focused back on Erik Karlsson and where he would end up once all was said and done.

Even though these rumors have just recently surfaced, it seems that Karlsson’s had Tampa on his mind since the January All-Star game.

Karlsson notched 62 points last season with the Senators, tied for the most on the team. With this kind of offense from a top defender in the league, Bolts fan can only be excited about the opportunity.

https://twitter.com/NHLPlug/status/1015445331738288128

Tampa Bay Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman is treated like the king of Tampa, and with some of his moves, it makes sense.

On Twitter, even Tampa International Airport got in on all the fun too!

With the fury of tweets, it seemed that Karlsson went from a Senator to a Bolt, back to a Senator all in a matter of minutes.

Now over a week later, it seems that nothing has happened since. Will a Karlsson trade occur in the near future? Will Yzerman and the Bolts have the chance to acquire another elite defenseman?

Amidst the chaos, Karlsson was attending a wedding, and Yzerman was locking up forward Nikita Kucherov.

Soon after the trade talk, Kucherov signed an eight-year extension, averaging at $9.5 million. This huge contract took away attention from Karlsson and showed what Yzerman was focusing on at the time. However, it does not mean Karlsson is not still a reality.

So…what you’re saying is there’s still a chance, right?

Next: Lightning Re-Signs Adam Erne to 1-Year Extension

With the free agents now all signed for the Bolts, Yzerman has some time on his hands to work some magic, and maybe bring Erik Karlsson into the mix. According to CapFriendly.com, the Lightning currently has $2.6 million left in cap space. With a potential trade, that could even involve a third party, anything is possible.

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