So I think this could maybe actually work

Heponiemi alone would cost more.

Either you don’t know much about Heponiemi, or you’re crazy. He’s one of the most dynamic prospects out there. Ridiculous skill and really high potential. No way Florida is giving him up for anything, certainly not Melker Karlsson

Still short three roster spots. I guess the question is, should they Sharks deplete their team of good NHL regulars and depth just to sign EK. If the Sharks don't get the Finals, maybe they should move on from this group

As I said, I don't know if those exact trades would work, and if he would cost more than that then slot another prospect into that spot. (In all honesty, I don't know anything about any team's prospects in development except for the Sharks and Sens. I wasn't at all hung up on which player I put in there as a trade - I looked at the list of what Florida has in the pipeline, narrowed it down to "has potential" and then picked the name I thought was coolest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

In all honesty, I wouldn't be at all worried about losing those four players. We'd be sacrificing a sub par back up goalie, a d-man who has a good track record but has looked lost with this team this season, a fourth liner whose play I personally like but who isn't exactly irreplaceable, and Sorensen - who has had dramatic improvement over this season but isn't the most important cog in the Sharks machine.

And I think that Doug could probably finesse those numbers enough to fill the roster but I was tired and my goal was to see if it was at all possible to keep Pavs and Karlsson and also improve the goalie situation.

And honestly, if you slot the Leafs into this same situation of cap crunch for Marner and say "I guess the question is, should the Leafs deplete their team of good NHL regulars and depth just to sign Marner. If the Leafs don't get the Finals, maybe they should move on from this group" I think you'd have an accurate guess at my feelings on if the Sharks should make heroic efforts to keep Karlsson. They've never played better in the time I've been watching than when he'd finally clicked with the team - his playing made literally everyone else on the ice look better.