The San Jose Sharks are staring down the barrel of a rebuild, with the 2022-23 NHL season not off to much of a better start than last year. After shipping off longtime defenseman Brent Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes during the offseason, Erik Karlsson could be the next tenured Sharks star to be put on the market. According to GM Mike Grier, the team will explore potential trades for Karlsson ahead of the trade deadline.
Grier revealed that the Sharks âwill listenâ if teams inquire about Karlsson at the trade deadline, which is set for March 3, 2023.
âI'll listen, but at the end of the day too, a lot will depend on Erik too,â Grier said via NHL.com. âHe's got the trade protection and [has control over] what he wants to do. I know right now he's happy. He's happy in San Jose. His family's happy there. And we're thrilled with how he's playing.â
Karlsson signed an eight-year, $92 million contract extension with the Sharks in 2019. He's collecting an average of $11.5 million per year and the contract features a full no-trade clause, so ultimately any deal will be up to Karlsson himself.
The Sharks appear to be looking to capitalize off the veteran defenseman's scorching hot start to the 2022-23 NHL season. Karlsson, 32, has registered 22 points across his first 17 games. His 22 points lead all defensemen across the league, as do his 10 goals. With the Sharks expected to finish among the bottom of the league this season, trading Karlsson to a contender could make sense for both parties.
With multiple seasons left on his contract, which doesn't expire until after the 2026-27 season, Erik Karlsson would fetch a lofty price tag, but could certainly be a difference-maker for a team in Stanley Cup contention.
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