While the Sharks envisioned signing Erik Karlsson to a long-term extension when they acquired him back in September, the defenseman indicated to reporters including NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger that he hasn’t given any consideration towards signing an extension at this time. Karlsson got off to a very slow start to his season but has picked up his play as of late with 11 points over his last 17 games. While a new deal can be made official as early as January 1st, it’s more likely to come later on; if he waits until after the February 25th trade deadline, he can get an eighth year on his contract if he re-signs with San Jose.
More from the West:
- The Stars were pleased with the results their experiment of playing center Jason Spezza on the wing, notes Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News. Head coach Jim Montgomery indicated that the move was made to free him up from some of his defensive responsibilities but there could be an additional benefit as well. Center Martin Hanzal is believed to be a couple of weeks away from returning to the lineup and having Spezza on the wing would allow Hanzal to slide onto the second line when he’s cleared to return.
- The Jets have placed defenseman Joe Morrow on injured reserve, reports NHL.com’s Mike Morreale (Twitter link). He missed Thursday’s game against Chicago with a lower-body injury and it appears that issue will keep him out a little while longer. Assuming they backdate the placement, he’ll be eligible to be activated in the middle of next week. Morrow has played in 19 games with Winnipeg this season but has been quieter than usual offensively as he has failed to record a single point while logging just over 14 minutes per game of playing time.
Hanzal needs to be a 4th liner. Even before his significant injury he was slow and his skills were deteriorating