Erik Karlsson is popping off this season, and with the San Jose Sharks in rebuild mode, the question of his future has been a topic of conversation — so much so that general manager Mike Grier was asked if he was listening to offers on the two-time Norris winning defender.
Before we get to his answer, a little reminder that Karlsson has a full no-movement clause and if the circumstances surrounding the trade that brought him to San Jose from Ottawa still hold true, it’s unlikely Karlsson is interested in the rigamarole of joining another team. Even with his approval aside, making a trade work would be incredibly difficult.
That said, Grier is hearing all offers:
“I’ll listen, but at the end of the day too, a lot will depend on Erik too,” Grier said after the NHL GM meeting Tuesday. “He’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.”
Is there anything significant to take from this quote in regards to Karlsson’s future? I don’t believe so. I would hope that Grier is listening to all offers — the team is rebuilding, basically nothing should be off the table, save the highest-end of young talent in the organization right now. That’s being a good GM.
But that doesn’t mean Karlsson is actively being shopped. And if last night’s win over the Vegas Golden Knights proved anything, it’s that the offense starts with Karlsson. The blueliner was acquired to be part of the team’s future. Grier traded Brent Burns and kept Karlsson. There’s simply no replacing him on this team.
If there’s any hope of coming out of the rebuild, Karlsson is a huge piece of that. So let’s cool the jets on the trade talk for now, eh?
News & Notes
- Sharks will listen to trade offers for Karlsson, GM says [NHL.com]
- Barracuda Hire Frank Torres as Vice President of Business Operations [San Jose Barracuda]
- Sharks defenseman, making NHL debut, gets boost from teammates after turnover [The Mercury News]
- Sharks Beat Golden Knights in Regulation for 1st Time Since 2019 Playoffs [San Jose Hockey Now]/
Tonight in Las Vegas, #SJSharks Marc-Edouard Vlasic will skate in his 1,179th regular season game with SJ, tying him for 7th in NHL history for games by a defenseman with one team (Chris Phillips, #GoSensGo). #NHLStats #HockeyTwitter
— Darin Stephens (@SharksStats) November 15, 2022
Blood in the Water
- Flyers head coach John Tortorella may have delivered the quote of the year [Broad Street Hockey]
- Rangers’ Kreider Starting to Get Results [Blueshirt Banter]
- Examining the AHLers in the Avalanche lineup [Mile High Hockey]
- Bruins hire Third party investigators led by former attorney general to investigate player vetting process [Stanley Cup of Chowder]
- NHL general managers discuss potential rule changes in ‘evolving’ game [NHL.com]/
Recaps & Scores
- Dallas Stars 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 5 (OT)
- New Jersey Devils 5, Montreal Canadiens 1
- Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
- Vancouver Canucks 5, Buffalo Sabres 4
- Washington Capitals 2, Florida Panthers 5
- Philadelphia Flyers 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 5
- Minnesota Wild 1, Nashville Predators 2
- Detroit Red Wings 2, Anaheim Ducks 3 (OT)
- San Jose Sharks 5, Vegas Golden Knights 2/
Click on a team name to find a recap on their SB Nation site!
On the Schedule
- Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators, 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET on SN, TVAS, MSG-B, ESPN+
- St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, BSMW
- Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers, 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on TNT, SNW/
As many of you know, Fear the Fin is an independent site run by Sharks fans for Sharks fans. Help keep Fear the Fin independent by contributing to our