The Erik Karlsson trade saga has been long and drawn out, with many fans hoping for a completion in the near future. It's been widely reported that two teams were the frontrunners for Karlsson's services, but a top insider may have just narrowed that list down. <h2>Karlsson the Penguin</h2> Trusted NHL insider Elliotte Friedman went on NHL Network recently to discuss the latest rumblings in the Karlsson trade saga. Friedman dropped a massive new revelation that could change the whole outlook of the trade. <q>The situation ebbs & flows, but it's still Pittsburgh & Carolina. The most recent word is it's tipping «more towards Pittsburgh» as of a couple days ago.</q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/pensreport/status/1681457889725272066?s=20'> </a></blockquote></div> This is massive, as San Jose could lose tons of leverage if Carolina bows out. Pittsburgh and Carolina have long been rumored to be the two teams in serious contention to acquire Karlsson, with each team bringing different offers to the table. <h2>Salary Retention</h2> Friedman continued on, saying that the salary retention aspect of this trade makes it difficult to pull off. <q>It comes down to what the sweet spot is on San Jose's kept salary for Karlsson. CAR has a number in mind that Fried doesn't think SJ's going that low. So they'll see what PIT can do.</q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/pensreport/status/1681457891432349697?s=20'> </a></blockquote></div> Carolina has more high-value assets to make a deal work, but also has more salary they'd need to move out before making a deal happen. This is likely why Friedman lists Pittsburgh as the current front-runner for Karlsson. That's not to say that things can't change, and Carolina couldn't bounce back with a can't-refuse offer, but things don't currently look that way. As Seen on Hockey OTB - <a href='https://twitter.com/pensreport/status/1681457891432349697' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>One Team Poised to Secure Karlsson in a Blockbuster Trade!</a>