In late October, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that the San Jose Sharks were willing to entertain offers for nearly everyone on the roster, perhaps with the exception of Tomas Hertl. Roughly two weeks later, Sharks general manager Mike Grier told reporters he would listen if any club made a trade proposal for defenseman Erik Karlsson.

Grier didn't sound like he was pushing for a deal, as he praised the 32-year-old's value to the Sharks and how much he and his family love living in San Jose. Grier also noted any trade would require Karlsson's blessing due to the full no-movement clause in his contract.

Karlsson currently leads all NHL blueliners with 11 goals and 32 points in 24 games, but the Sharks are struggling to keep pace in the Western Conference. It makes sense to put out trade feelers in case they become a seller near the March 3 trade deadline.

A gifted puck-moving rearguard, Karlsson would bolster any team's blue line. However, his contract will be tough to move. Along with his no-movement clause, he carries an $11.5 million cap hit each year through 2026-27. Given how many clubs have less than $10 million in cap room, it's unlikely that anyone will take on his full cap hit during the season.

Grier could agree to retain a portion of Karlsson's cap hit to facilitate a trade. He absorbed 33 percent of Brent Burns' $8 million cap hit when he shipped the hirsute blueliner to the Carolina Hurricanes in mid-July.

Here's our take on six potential landing spots for Karlsson and what each club might have to give up in return.

Dallas Stars

After advancing to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, the Dallas Stars missed the postseason in 2021 and were eliminated from the opening round last season by the Calgary Flames. They could move into Stanley Cup contention for the foreseeable future by acquiring a defenseman like Karlsson.

The Stars possess a good mix of veterans such as Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Ryan Suter and rising talent like Jason Robertson, Jake Oettinger, Miro Heiskanen and Roope Hintz. If Karlsson doesn't want to stray from the warm weather, Dallas could be a tempting destination.

With $62.9 million committed to 14 players next season, the Stars can't afford Karlsson's full cap hit, but they could take on more than 50 percent of it. He'd be a great fit on the right side of Heiskanen, Suter or Esa Lindell on the Stars' blue line.

The Stars have already traded away their 2023 first-round pick, but they could offer their 2024 first-rounder for a star like Karlsson. Denis Gurianov could also be as part of the return, as the struggling winger might benefit from a change of scenery. They'd also likely have to give up a promising youngster like Wyatt Johnston and a prospect or two such as Mavrik Bourque or Lian Bichsel.

Florida Panthers

Having won the Presidents' Trophy in 2021-22 for the first time with a franchise-record 122 points, the Florida Panthers are struggling to replicate that success this season. The absence of MacKenzie Weegar, whom they traded to the Calgary Flames as part of the return for Matthew Tkachuk in July, depleted their blue-line depth.

Acquiring Karlsson would bolster their defense, removing some of the burden from top blueliner Aaron Ekblad. Both are right-side defensemen but the Panthers could try shifting one of them to the left to put them on the same pairing or have them skate on separate pairings.

In a recent episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman floated the Panthers as a potential destination for Karlsson. He noted that the cap-strapped club would gain some salary flexibility next season. They'll have $12.2 million in cap room and could gain more if they send some salary to San Jose for Karlsson, provided the Sharks retain part of his cap hit.

The Sharks could seek a versatile forward such as Sam Bennett or Carter Verhaeghe as part of the return. They could also ask for promising center Anton Lundell as part of the deal. It could also cost the Panthers a few promising prospects, as they've traded away their first-round picks for the next three drafts.

Ottawa Senators

During the Nov. 16 episode of The Jeff Marek Show, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said he believed Ottawa Senators management spoke to the Sharks about Karlsson, who spent his first nine NHL seasons with the Senators. Karlsson still maintains a home in Ottawa, but Friedman didn't think the Senators could afford to acquire him, even if the Sharks retained part of his cap hit.

However, the Senators could be among the few clubs on Karlsson's short list of preferred destinations if he waives his no-movement clause. They have $22.9 million in projected cap space for 2023-24, but Alex DeBrincat, Artem Zub and Cam Talbot are all due for new contracts next summer.

Despite acquiring DeBrincat, Talbot and Claude Giroux in the offseason, the Senators are once again stuck near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. A shakeup could be in order if they don't reverse their fortunes soon. Perhaps that could involve bringing back Karlsson to bolster their blue-line depth.

The Senators have plenty of young players and prospects to tempt the Sharks. It might take a package of DeBrincat or Shane Pinto, unsigned winger Alex Formenton or prospect Ridly Grieg and the Senators' first-round pick in 2023 or 2024 to bring Karlsson back to Ottawa.

Seattle Kraken

After missing the playoffs in their inaugural campaign, the Seattle Kraken are off to a promising start to their sophomore season. If Karlsson prefers remaining on the West Coast, perhaps the Kraken will prove enticing if they remain a legitimate playoff contender.

Kraken general manager Ron Francis has done a fine job building up his roster. He convinced veterans such as goaltender Philipp Grubauer, defensemen Adam Larsson and Justin Schultz, and forwards Jaden Schwartz and André Burakovsky to come to Seattle. Meanwhile, promising players like Matty Beniers and Shane Wright provide a solid base for their future.

However, the Kraken are missing a true No. 1 defenseman. Someone like Karlsson could help them accelerate their roster-building process. With $62.9 million invested in 14 players for 2023-24, they could potentially take on more of his cap hit than other interested clubs.

Acquiring Karlsson could get expensive terms of return for the Kraken. The Sharks could try to pry away Wright plus another prospect such as Jagger Firkus or David Goyette. Francis might be reluctant to part with his 2023 first-round pick, but perhaps he would offer one or more of the three second-round picks he has in that draft.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs defense has been riddled with injuries this season. Jake Muzzin is out until at least February with a cervical spine injury, TJ Brodie is out with an oblique injury, Morgan Rielly is out for at least 10 games with a knee injury, and Jordie Benn recently suffered an upper-body injury.

Muzzin could be sidelined for the remainder of the season, potentially forcing the Leafs into the trade market. Karlsson isn't a shutdown defenseman like Muzzin, but his offensive style would fit well on the first pairing alongside Rielly. That's assuming he's willing to accept being traded to Toronto given his history with the Ottawa Senators.

Having Karlsson skating with Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner or William Nylander would be a nightmare for Leafs opponents. The Toronto Star's Nick Kypreos recently wondered if the Sharks would retain part of Karlsson's cap hit and agree to take on Muzzin's contract if the Leafs included top prospect Matthew Knies as part of the return.

The Sharks could instead seek a promising NHL-ready forward like Nick Robertson along with a first-round pick and maybe another pick or a prospect. While the Leafs would be sacrificing part of their future, they're in win-now mode and might take the gamble if they feel Karlsson could help them finally end their long Stanley Cup drought.

Washington Capitals

During the Nov. 18 episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggested the Washington Capitals as a destination for Karlsson. He pointed out they have only one defenseman under contract for 2023-24.

The Capitals have $61 million invested in just 10 players for next season, with John Carlson their only blueliner under contract. Perhaps they'll consider getting a head start on addressing that issue by pursuing Karlsson if the Sharks will retain half of his $11.5 million cap hit. He would provide additional depth to the right side of their blue line.

Since 2007-08, the Capitals have made the playoffs in all but one season. A rash of injuries to key players such as Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Wilson and Dmitry Orlov decimated their roster, leaving them in danger of falling further behind in this season's playoff race. Acquiring Karlsson could give them a boost now and in the future.

Karlsson might be intrigued by the idea of skating with Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin to agree to a move to Washington. The Sharks' asking price could include a young player such as Connor McMichael along with a prospect such as Ivan Miroshnichenko or Ryan Chesley along with a few draft picks, including their 2023 first-rounder.

Stats and standings (as of Nov. 27, 2022) via NHL.com. Salary info via Cap Friendly. Additional info via Hockey-Reference.com and Daily Faceoff.