After 13 months of hemming and hawing,the Senators seem prepared to trade star Erik Karl son, freeing him from the organization’s perpetual state of dysfunction.All indications are that Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorionwould prefer to find a trade partner before the 2018-19 regular season opens in October,bringing an end to what’s become a yearlong saga and yet another drain on the Senators. And after a monthlong hibernation, those rumors have returned.Here’s a recap of the situation, in case you’ve forgotten:The Senators tabled an eight-year contract extension, the first dayof eligibility to re-sign their star. Karl son’s camp reportedly rejected the offer, considered well below market value for a player widely considered the best defenseman in the NHL.MORE:As a reference point, the Kings re-signed Drew Doughty, Karl son’s would-be brother in 2019 free agency, to an eight-year, $88 million extension days earlier the richest contract in the NHLfor a defenseman.Karl son, six months younger and moreproductive than Doughty, is expected to top that benchmark awayfrom the frugal Senators, especially if he reachesthe open market and creates a bidding war. So Ottawa’s offer struck as hollow.Perhaps realizing the writing is on the wall,the Senators with Karl son, leading to a smattering of rumors over the course of several weeks in July. But it turned out the New York Giants Hats chatter . Any trade is contingent on Dorion and the third-party team first agreeing to the particulars of a trade, but anopen door from the Senators all but signals Karl sonisn’t interested in re-signing and is as good as gone, one way or another.Any of the NHL’s 30 other teams would kill to get their hands on the all-world defenseman, but only a few stand out as realistic suitors.The Golden Knights, who reportedly have come Phil Simms Jersey close to finalizing a trade twice,the Lightning, Sharks and Stars were rumored front-runners in the early goings. To sweeten thepot or le sen the cost of picks/prospects, someteams also may consider absorbing Bobby Ryan’s contract, which comes in at$7.250 million over through 2021-22, as a condition of anyKarl sondeal.Sporting News will keep an open tab on all the rumors and rumblingsswirling until that day comes.MORE: Erik Karl son watch: Latest news, rumorsSept. 13:’Decided increase’ intrade talks as camp approachesThe Senators reported to training camp Thursday to the tune of resurgent chatter around the long-rumored trade of their captain, Erik Karl son. It’s nothing the NHL hasn’t seen yet during this summerlong saga, but TSN’s Bob McKenzkie reported Ottawa’s desire to complete a deal before camp is in full swing, and certainly prior tothe beginning of the season. That could set things in motion ahead of the weekend.Stop me if you have heard this before and you have but theres been a decided increase in Erik Karl son trade talk over the last 24-48 hours with the obvious goal of trying to get it done before OTT hits the ice for training camp. Bob McKenzie New York Giants Jackets (@TSNBobMcKenzie) I would almost be tempted to say its close, but the problem with that is I suspect its been this close or even closer in the past and it obviously didnt get done then, so…lets just wait and see if this is indeed the real thing. Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) FWIW, my sense is if Karl son is traded today/tomorrow, it will be to a Western Conference team. Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) That Western Conference team is thought to be either San Jose, Dallas or Vegas, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. All three have been connected to Karl son rumors to varying degrees throughout the summer, and Ottawa seems to be doing an excellent job leaking those offers as leverage to create a bidding war.Dallas, San Jose and Vegas among the teams I believe who continued to have talks with Ottawa this week on Erik Karl son… feels like something could go down today potentially. But we’ve said that before. Karl son and Burns on the same team in San Jose would certainly be a sight Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) Sounds like San Jose is making a huge push to land Erik Karl son. Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) Aug. 22: Trade rumorsrevived, with new team in mixIs this thing still on? After a month of stagnation, Sportsnet’sElliotteFriedman resuscitated Erik Karl son trade rumors Wednesday, reporting that discu sions have picked up in recent days between the Senators and unidentified Western Conference teams.Friedman floated the Canucks, who join the Golden Knights, Stars and the darkhorse Sharks as po sible out-of-conference suitors previously connected to the superstar defenseman.There is a sense today that Erik Karl son trade talks have picked up in the last few days. Most likely destinations appear to be Western Conference. There is also a belief VAN has stepped in to see if it is a match. Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) Clinging to remaining holidays, however, sources confirm teams with interest in Erik Karl son have stepped up of late and talks are moving. Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) This development excludes theLightning, regarded at one point as the favorite to land Karl son. They may still be the most logical fit and one should never count out Steve Yzerman, but Tampa would need to first addre s a number of complicated moving parts before a deal is Xavier McKinney Jersey made.That brings us back to the field. The reason Karl son wasn’t moved a month ago, whenspeculation reached a fever pitch, was simply because the offers simply weren’t good enough to sell Dorion, who’s got much at stake. Vegas, Dallas and Tampa all were reluctant to meet the rumored asking price of a first-round pick, a top prospect and more.Vancouver is an interesting, if unexpected, new player here. The rebuilding Canucks and GM Jim Benningwere presumably committed to tearing things down after the retirements of the Sedin twins, Francesco Aquiliniis growing impatient and wants to fast-track the plan. A Karl sontrade would certainly qualify, for better or worse. Despite Friedman’s report, things remain firmly in hurry up and wait mode.My sense of Karl son situation is that any interest is likely due-diligence. Team categorically against trading Quinn, Petter son, Boeser etc. Hard to see trade fit w Ottawa. Iain MacIntyre (@imacSportsnet) July 10: Steve Yzerman addre ses po sibility of adding to rosterIn the wake of Nikita Kucherov’sextension, Lightning general manager Steve Yzermanmade his first public remarks since Tampa has been rumored as a front-runner for Erik Karl son. Taking care not to mention Karl son by name (a player who, mind you, is under contract with another team), Yzermanacknowledged he’s entertainingpo sibilities of making an addition of significance this offseason but denied a Kayvon Thibodeaux T Shirts trade is close to completion. Yzerman says no trade is close or imminen