Canucks general manager Jim Benning has denied their interest to Sportsnet reporter John Shannon.
"Teams talk about taking our young players or picks," Benning told the Vancouver Sun. "We have some depth in our prospect pool, but our future is about Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko and Olli Juolevi, I've not lost sight of that. … But if something (a trade) makes sense, I'm not doing my job (if I ignore it)."
Karlsson denied a report he was unwilling to sign a long-term contract with a Canada-based team, Sportsnet said Friday.
Karlsson was the subject of increasing trade rumors after he did not sign an eight-year contract extension reportedly offered by the Senators on July 1. The Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the teams that reportedly made Ottawa an offer for the 28-year-old, who can become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Karlsson, the Senators captain, had 62 points (nine goals, 53 assists) last season, his fewest since 2012-13, when he played 17 games before tearing his Achilles tendon. He has won the Norris Trophy once and finished second in voting twice in the past four seasons.
Selected by the Senators in the first round (No. 15) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Karlsson has 518 points (126 goals, 392 assists) in 627 regular-season games and 37 points (six goals, 31 assists) in 48 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.