The San Jose Sharks were a perennial powerhouse in the Western Conference for what seemed like a decade or more. However, the Sharks have fallen on hard times for the last couple of seasons. This season though the Sharks are battling in the Pacific Division with all eyes on new general manager Mike Grier. Grier has a big decision on his hands when it comes to defenceman Erik Karlsson.
It has been a career resurgence for Erik Karlsson this season with the Sharks. Since coming over from the Ottawa Senators in a trade and signing that massive eight-year contract prior to the 19-20 NHL that carries an $11.5 million cap hit, Karlsson has underperformed. At least to his standards.
This season, however, Karlsson is off to one of the best starts of his career with 11 goals through 20 games. In addition, Karlsson has recorded 28 points (11 goals and 17 assists) in those 20 games which matches his point total from last year. That is truly remarkable for a player that is aging.
However, this is the first season that Erik Karlsson is truly healthy. Do not forget he had that torn Achilles tendon that he played through and never recovered from when he came to San Jose. Though he put up 40 points in his first season with the Sharks, his numbers have been on the decline ever since then. Up until now.
Hence why his name has been coming up in trade speculation over the past week. As seen on NHLRumors.com via Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Chris Johnston of TSN on Insider Trading, the Sharks would be willing to listen to offers on Erik Karlsson.
Mike Grier has been looking to reshape the Sharks and get some money off the books. The Sharks have been compared to the Toronto Maple Leafs except instead of having all their money tied up on forwards, the Sharks had all their money tied up on their defense.
Prior to Grier taking over the Sharks had three players in Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and Karlsson taking up 32 percent of their salary cap space which was equal to $26.5 million. Not to mention Logan Couture, Evander Kane (at the time), and Timo Meier taking up significant cap space. Now, Tomas Hertl has a salary cap hit over $8 million and the Sharks have five players taking up 50 percent of the salary cap space.
Grier was able to move Burns’s salary off the books this past summer. Though the Sharks retained some salary, they were able to move an ‘immovable’ contract. And may try to do the same with teams calling on Karlsson.
There is a reason why Karlsson has become a target for teams needing defense. They are looking at the player and not the contract. And the contract is not ideal even if the Sharks retain 50 percent. He still has four years left on his contract and they will still likely need another team to get involved especially if Karlsson wants to go to a contender.
And who is to say Erik Karlsson wants to leave? Right now Karlsson is happy in San Jose and he controls the narrative with a no-movement clause. So he will have to waive his clause to be traded anyway. He has control over the situation regardless of whether or not Grier is open to trading him or not.
And it is the general manager’s right to field calls on the player. Grier wouldn’t be doing his job to the fullest if he didn’t. But at the end of the day, Karlsson controls the narrative.
If a contending team does come calling, they are seeing why Erik Karlsson was a Norris Trophy winner and carried the Ottawa Senators to double overtime of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final in 2017. He is an impact player on the defensive side of the puck. That is what he can do.
One thing is for sure if Karlsson continues this pace for the Sharks, more teams will be calling for his services.
