Erik Karlsson is out of the Nation’s Capital and is off to the Bay Area.

The Ottawa Senators traded their captain and franchise defenceman to the San Jose Sharks in a multi-player deal that dominated the headlines in the hockey world on Thursday.

Over the last several months of speculation, reports out of Ottawa were that Bobby Ryan’s contract could be attached to Karlsson if a deal were to take place. Ryan, 31, is signed for the next four seasons at $7,250,000 with a modified no-trade clause and a no-movement clause, according to Cap Friendly. Had Ryan been included in any deal, the notion was that the team taking both Karlsson and Ryan would’ve had to fetch over less in return to absorb Ryan’s contract.

But according to Darren Dreger, that’s not how the Senators saw it. Speaking on TSN 1050’s OverDrive with Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan and Jeff O’Neill, the TSN Hockey Insider explained that the Sens were high on Ryan, despite him not exactly living up to his contract.

"Vegas sources indicating that Ottawa wouldn't put a value on taking the Ryan contract. Ottawa's perspective was, 'No, you're getting a decent NHL player here who happens to have an ugly contract. But it's a hockey trade.'"

Dreger went on to explain that in order to make the salaries align, San Jose would’ve had to likely include a roster player like Tomas Hertl to balance out of the books.

You can listen to the full interview below:

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun followed that up with a couple tidbits on TSN 690 Montreal about how Karlsson and Ryan were reportedly a packaged deal together at the deadline, with the Golden Knights and Sharks leading the charge.

"Vegas, my understanding, very much in it to the end - I think with Dallas, maybe a couple of other teams - but Vegas and Dallas certainly in there at the end this week before San Jose snatched him away. I can tell you, as a matter of fact, that both the Sharks' and Golden Knights' trade framework involving Erik Karlsson at the trade deadline involved absorbing Bobby Ryan's contract, and obviously, that was not part of the deal here today.

With Karlsson gone, Ryan is now the Senators highest paid player. In 62 games last season, the Cherry Hill, New Jersey, native registered 11 goals and 22 assists.