The NHL offseason is officially here, and trade speculation is out in full force. Of all the trade targets around the league, San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson may be the most intriguing.

After several injury-plagued seasons, Karlsson, 33, returned to elite form and then some this season. The Sharks star scored 25 goals and 101 points, becoming the first defenseman with 100 points in a season in over 30 years. He's a finalist for both the the Ted Lindsay and Norris awards, and could win the latter for the third time.

Karlsson's value is the highest it's ever been in San Jose, and with the Sharks not ready to compete for a while, a trade makes sense for both sides. However, there's one massive obstacle in the way of any potential deal.

While most trade targets have one or two years remaining on their deals, Erik Karlsson has four. Not just that, but he's the highest-paid defenseman in the league with an average annual value of $11.5 million. That contract alone greatly limits which teams could realistically make a play for Karlsson. The Sharks could always retain salary, but that would also drive up the already massive price tag.

There's a lot to consider with this potential trade, and it's not certain a trade will even happen at all. That said, we're still going to try our best to identify three potential trade partners.

Without further ado, here are the three best trade destinations for Erik Karlsson this offseason.

3. Florida Panthers

We start with a team that would be an intriguing fit despite several hurdles. Fresh off a surprise run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers aren't far off from their first championship. Perhaps adding a two-time, potentially three-time Norris-winner in Karlsson could be what puts them over the top.

As previously mentioned though, there are a lot of problems with this fit. First off, Florida's cap situation is very dicey and could prevent a deal entirely. The Panthers have just over $10 million in cap space with only 16 players signed next season, so they'd have to get very creative to add Karlsson in.

Secondly, the Panthers don't have much in the way of trade assets, either. They don't have their first-round pick for the next three drafts, and their prospect pool is one of the weaker ones in hockey. If they can put together a trade package, it may not be a very enticing one for the Sharks.

That said, Erik Karlsson could be a great addition to Florida's blue line. He would improve the Panthers' offense and especially their power play, which went 0-for-14 in the Stanley Cup Final. It's a very risky move, but general manager Bill Zito has shown he's not afraid of risks.

2. Edmonton Oilers

Normally, we're hesitant to include a division rival on lists like this. With there being so few options, though, we'll let it slide this time.

Actually, these two teams have reportedly discussed this trade before. The Oilers and Sharks talked about a Karlsson deal before the trade deadline, but nothing came to fruition, according to TSN's Chris Johnston. Edmonton instead acquired defenseman Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators, which could close the door on acquiring Karlsson. But what if the Oilers do decide to circle back?

Well, there are still a lot of obstacles in the way. The Oilers are tight on cap space, so they'd need the Sharks and maybe another team to retain salary. They also aren't swimming in draft picks or high-end prospects either, which limits what they can offer.

There's really only a couple reasons why Edmonton lands on this list at all. First, the fact that these two teams have discussed the deal earlier means there's at least some possibility. Second, imagining Karlsson alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is just too fun to pass up. Not a particularly likely scenario, but still an incredibly intriguing one.

1. Seattle Kraken

Compared to other options, Seattle actually feels like a somewhat-viable landing spot for Karlsson. The Kraken surprised in their second season, finishing with 100 points and coming within a game of the Western Conference Final. They are a very deep team, but don't have a true superstar yet. Karlsson could be the superstar that elevates them to contender status.

Seattle doesn't have some of the problems that made deals with other teams difficult. The Kraken have over $20 million in cap space, so they're better equipped to bring in a big contract like Karlsson's. They could still get the Sharks or other teams to retain salary, but it's not as big of a hurdle.

Additionally, Seattle has much more intriguing trade assets to offer. The Kraken have all of their draft picks for the next three years, and with three second-round picks in this year's draft, they can afford to spend some of those. They also have a solid prospect pool that they can afford to dip into.

The question is whether or not the Kraken would want to pursue Karlsson, rather than moving forward with their existing roster. If they do, then they may be the best-equipped team to get a deal done.