We're just over a week away from September and Erik Karlsson is still a member of the Ottawa Senators, despite not being any closer to a contract extension than he was a few months ago.

Karlsson could be on the move soon, though, if we're to believe new reports suggesting that trade talks surrounding the superstar defenseman have picked up steam once again. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Tuesday that a Karlsson deal has been discussed over the past few days, with the Western Conference emerging as the likely destination.

Friedman highlights the Vancouver Canucks as a team that has stepped into the mix for Karlsson, which is an interesting development considering they're currently in a rebuild and pretty far away from being competitive in their current state. (Vancouver's 73 points last season were second-worst in the conference.)

The Canucks have a number of talented prospects in their pipeline and a need for playmakers on the defensive end, though they did take Quinn Hughes -- one of the top defensive prospects in this year's draft -- with the 7th overall pick in June. Hughes would be an incredibly attractive piece to come back to the Senators in a deal for Karlsson, but it doesn't seem like Vancouver is willing to part with him -- or most of their other top prospects.

Does a deal for Karlsson make sense for the Canucks given their current organizational standpoint, and would they have to give up Hughes to get such a deal done? Those are the questions that need to be asked. Karlsson is 28 and would need to agree to a long-term extension if you're a rebuilding team that's surrendering significant future assets in order for him. 

As for other teams in the mix, the Vegas Golden Knights have had interest in Karlsson dating back to last season, when they nearly acquired him on deadline day. Trade chatter between Ottawa and Vegas has been quiet (at least on the public front) recently, but the Knights still seem like a good fit. They're the reigning Western Conference champs that could use a playmaker on defense and they have the financial flexibility to get Karlsson paid.

Another team that would seemingly make sense is the Edmonton Oilers. Despite coming off an incredibly disappointing season in which they finished fourth-worst in the conference, they're just two years removed from an impressive run to the conference finals. They've got some great talent -- including the incredible Connor McDavid -- and have a ton of pressure on them to bounce back this year. They also need some help on the blue line, especially in the form of a right shot defenseman. (They did take Evan Bouchard in the first round of this year's draft, but he may not be ready to make an immediate impact.)

Edmonton would have to find a way to make the money work -- especially if they want to carve out an extension with Karlsson -- but GM Peter Chiarelli could be on the chopping block if he can't get the team back to being competitive this season. Don't underestimate the will of a man desperate to save his job.

In any case, it's pretty shocking that Karlsson is still with the Senators this deep into the offseason, especially considering that there has been no positive movement on the contract front. The Senators aren't likely to keep their franchise defensemen beyond this season and the longer they wait to deal him, the more leverage they lose. 

Assuming an extension isn't going to happen, the Senators would likely want to maximize their potential return for Karlsson by dealing him before this upcoming season. But big-time blockbusters don't typically happen this late in the summer, so it appears we're in for a shock whether he goes or he stays.