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Erik Karlsson

Erik Karlsson Will Be Activated Ahead Of Postseason

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The San Jose Sharks knew when they paid a substantial price for all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson that there was no guarantee that he would be with the team any longer than the one year remaining on his contract. Karlsson was a rental in some sense, acquired last summer to get the regular season-dominating Sharks over the playoff hump and to their first Stanley Cup title. Still without an extension in place, Karlsson may very well be playing his final games with San Jose; except that he hasn’t been playing at all. Karlsson has missed 16 straight games and 26 of the past 31 with a groin injury and doubts had begun to set in that perhaps Karlsson would not be at full strength or worse yet could be sidelined entirely for the only reason he was acquired: the postseason.

Rest easy Sharks fans, as that doesn’t appear to be the case. Both Karlsson and head coach Peter DeBoer tell NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley that the superstar defenseman will be ready for the playoffs. “I said a month ago I was going to be ready for the playoffs and that’s still the case,” Karlsson reiterated. DeBoer supported the claim, saying “He’ll be ready for the playoffs.” In fact, DeBoer would like to get Karlsson back before the end of the regular season. Karlsson has been ruled out of the Sharks’ Tuesday night match-up, but the team has two regular season games remaining afterward and the head coach would like to see his two-time Norris Trophy-winning mercenary see some game action prior to the postseason beginning. It may not happen, but the decision is being considered, as Deboer stated “I’d like to, but we’re not going to do it at the expense of rushing him, so we’ll see.”

Of course, the concern shifts from Karlsson not being ready for the playoffs to Karlsson still being an injury risk once he returns. The player himself is not thinking that way, saying “I’m not worried about re-injuring it or getting another injury; that’s not the way I approach the game, especially this time of year.” However, that’s exactly what happened earlier this season when Karlsson was forced from a late February game, after missing 10 of the previous 14 contests, and has not played since. Whether Karlsson was simply rushed back too soon or was re-injured is unknown, but the nagging groin injury could strike happen again. With the Sharks already locked in to a first-round collision with the talented Vegas Golden Knights, there’s little room for an absence of Karlsson’s magnitude. If San Jose is going to finally claim an elusive championship this season, they don’t just need Karlsson back for the playoffs, they need him in the lineup throughout the playoffs.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Karlsson, Pavelski, Marino

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The Kings have head coach Todd McLellan at the top of their wish list for next season, reports Sportsnet’s Mark Spector.  Interim bench boss Willie Desjardins is not likely to return for the 2019-20 campaign.  McLellan was let go by Edmonton earlier this season following a 9-10-1 start to their season but had plenty of success in his first stint back in San Jose.  There will likely be other teams on the lookout for a new head coach in the coming weeks so expect the 51-year-old to garner some interest from elsewhere as well next month.

More notes from the Pacific Division:

  • Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson has had his skating schedule scaled back as he continues to work his way back from a groin injury, notes Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. Instead of skating daily, he’s now hitting the ice every second day which suggests his return is further away than expected.  San Jose has already clinched a playoff spot and appears to be locked into a matchup with Vegas so they can afford to be cautious but they also would undoubtedly feel better if he had some game action before the postseason gets underway.  Meanwhile, Pashelka adds that center Joe Pavelski, who has missed four straight games due to a lower-body injury, is progressing in his recovery and could be available for their game on Thursday against Chicago.
  • The Oilers are in discussions with prospect John Marino, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. The defenseman was a sixth-round pick (154th overall) back in 2015 and is just finishing up his junior year at Harvard, a team that is participating in the upcoming NCAA tournament.  Although he still has a year of college eligibility remaining, he’s also eligible for August 15th free agency as it has been four years since he has been drafted.

Panthers, Islanders Expected To Be Active This Off-Season

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With the New York Islanders sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division and the Florida Panthers not yet out of postseason contention, eight points back of the final wild card slot with a game in hand, fans are not yet looking toward next season with plenty of meaningful games left this season. Yet, the two Eastern Conference teams are expected by many to be some of the most active players in the upcoming off-season. The Islanders could have more cap space entering the summer than just about any other team, while the Panthers have not won a playoff series since 1996 and are desperate to take a step forward. Both teams have needs and could look to fill them in explosive fashion this off-season.

Things have gone as well as they possibly could have this season for the Islanders. Despite losing John Tavares and entering the year with an unproven goalie tandem, the team is not only playoff-bound, but also the league leader in goals against average. Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss have been stellar in net, the team’s young defensemen have taken a major step forward under new head coach Barry Trotz, and the offense has picked up the seemingly insurmountable slack that Tavares left behind. Yet, much of their success could be undone by free agency, which would leave the team in need of making several big additions. Lehner is an impending free agent and the Isles must decide whether or not to commit to the young reclamation project or else seek a long-term replacement, with 33-year-old Greiss only signed for one more year. Yet, the net is not even the greatest of their concerns. Captain Anders Lee and fellow top forwards Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle are approaching free agency without new contracts. After losing Tavares last summer, it seems almost impossible that New York could also let Lee slip away. But can the same be said for Nelson and Eberle, who are also top-five scoring forwards for the Isles. The team may be in a position where they need to add considerable talent up front, as well as replenish depth.

Currently projected to have the fourth-most cap space of any team this summer, the Islanders could hypothetically re-sign Lehner and their trio of forwards without issue or else find free agents on the market. However, if spending power is not enough to bring in top free agents – like say Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky – GM Lou Lamoriello could explore the trade market. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple writes that the Islanders’ newfound depth on the blue line could help to facilitate a major trade. He believes that the team wants to move forward with a young core of Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, and Devon Toews on the blue line. He also mentions AHL All-Star Sebastian Aho as another key piece, while recent high draft picks Noah Dobson and Bode Wilde also deserve consideration. This youth movement has made top defenseman Nick Leddy expendable and Staple believes that he is a talent that could bring back an established top-six forward. The Islanders could also look to move veterans Johnny Boychuk and Thomas Hickey instead of or in addition to Leddy. That trade flexibility paired with ample cap space make the Isles a dangerous player on the trade market this summer, if not all of their problems can be fixed via free agency.

In fact, the Panthers could wind up being an ideal trade partner for the Islanders. Florida leads the NHL this season with five 20-goal scorers and has an offensive game and potent power play that few in the league can rival. However, their defense and their goaltending both leave a lot to be desired. The Panthers don’t have the cap space that the Islanders do, but The Athletic’s George Richards believes that the team plans to make trades to free up cap space in order to hit the free agent market with more bargaining power. Florida is another team that has been linked to the Panarin/Bobrovksy package, while they are also a team that could greatly benefit from adding Erik Karlsson. Richards writes that the team will be “aggressive” in pursuing top free agents, but that doesn’t mean they will succeed in drawing targets to a non-traditional hockey market.

As such, Florida could also wind up making noise on the trade market and a name like Leddy would be the caliber of player they would like to add. Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov have enjoyed strong seasons with the Panthers this year, but both have just one season remaining and could be on the trade block this summer. There were also rumors that Jonathan Huberdeau was a player that GM Dale Tallon listened to offers for at the trade deadline again and he could do so again for the team’s highest-paid forward. These are names that will move the needle for other NHL clubs. Veteran goaltenders Roberto Luongo and James Reimer? Not so much. However, the team needs to improve on its poor goaltending and to do so would need to move one (or both) of the tandem costing them a combined $7.933MM. This may involve Florida moving picks or prospects as well. There are many layers to the trade possibilities for the Panthers this off-season, making them a fascinating team to watch.

With weeks remaining in the regular season and the unknown of the postseason yet to come, the status quo could change for either one of these teams. As things stand though, there are major question marks for both squads that at this point don’t look like they can be answered until after the playoffs have ended. As soon as that happens, the Islanders and Panthers will become must-watch teams in how they approach the NHL Draft, the start of free agency, and the summer trade market. Both clubs could look drastically different in 2019-20 by way of an active off-season.

Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Canucks, Woo, Stone

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The San Jose Sharks got some promising news as star defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has missed most of the second half of the season with a groin injury, skated for 30 minutes this morning at the team’s morning skate for the first time since he re-injured his groin on Feb. 16, according to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News. Regardless, Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said that Karlsson still is not close to returning.

“Good sign. Out there, no setbacks. No pain,” DeBoer said. “First step, obviously. We’re not close yet.”

Karlsson skated figure eights around the faceoff circles, practiced hard stops, and sprinted down the ice at full speed several times. Karlsson missed nine games after initially getting injured on Jan. 16. He returned for four games in February, but re-injured it on Feb. 23.

  • In a mailbag series, The Athletic’s J.D. Burke (subscription required) writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vancouver Canucks look to be active in the free-agent defense market, suggesting the Canucks could opt to make a big offer this season on Winnipeg Jets’ free agent Tyler Myers. With the Jets expected to have even more cap problems than usual with several big restricted free agents to take care of this summer, including Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba, the team might have to allow Myers to leave to free up some cap room. The 29-year-old Myers would be a big addition if Vancouver wants to make a big offer to the 6-foot-8, 229-pound blueliner.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal writes that the Vancouver Canucks and the representation for prospect Jett Woo have had positive talks about bringing the physical blueliner on board soon. The team’s 2018 second-round pick has had a breakout season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors with 12 goals, 62 points and 63 penalty minutes in 61 games this season.
  • The Calgary Flames are adding some much needed depth to their blueline as defenseman Michael Stone is expected to play tonight in his first game in 125 days, according to Ryan Dittrick of NHL.com. Stone hasn’t played since Nov. 11 since he was diagnosed with a blood clot and placed on blood thinners. Regardless, Stone expects an easier transition back to the ice since he was able to get back on the ice four days after starting blood thinners and has been able to stay in good cardio shape the whole time. Stone has played 11 games this year and has four assists. He just returned from the Stockton Heat of the AHL, where he got three games of conditioning in.

Erik Karlsson Expected Back For Playoffs

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The San Jose Sharks haven’t had Erik Karlsson in the lineup for the past three games (all wins) and shouldn’t expect him back “anytime soon.” That’s what Karlsson told Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, but the star defenseman did say he would be back in time for the playoffs. Karlsson is dealing with a groin injury and hopes to get back on the ice for at least a few games before the Sharks start their first round playoff series.

When healthy, Karlsson has been an incredible performer for the Sharks, who currently sit just a point back of the Calgary Flames for first place in the Pacific Division. His 45 points ranks 12th in the NHL among defensemen despite him playing only 52 games—teammate Brent Burns leads the league with 73 points in 67 games—and he has logged an average of more than 24 minutes for the Sharks even including his last two games where he was extremely limited. There’s no doubt the Sharks are better with him in the lineup, and will hope to get him back on the ice to shake off the rust before an important playoff series starts.

Remember that Karlsson remains unsigned and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Showing he is healthy and playoff capable will go a big way to dissuade any hesitation to sign him, be it from the Sharks or another team on the open market. The last time the 28-year old was in the postseason was 2017, when he recorded 18 points in 19 games and pulled the Ottawa Senators within one goal of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

Snapshots: Karlsson, Thompson, Lafreniere, Maple Leafs

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The San Jose Sharks got some good news regarding the status of star defenseman Erik Karlsson, who will miss his second straight game Sunday with a strained groin. Head coach Peter DeBoer confirmed that Karlsson is suffering from the same strained groin injury that kept him out for nine straight games in January and February. However, the injury won’t require surgery, according to NHL.com’s Eric Gilmore.

“It’s a version of the same injury,” DeBoer said after receiving the latest medical test results on the 28-year-old defenseman. “I don’t anticipate it being long term. No surgery, nothing like that. But we’re going to be obviously extra cautious and make sure.”

Karlsson is a key piece to the Sharks’ success this year as they try to overtake the Calgary Flames for the top spot in the Pacific Division. Karlsson has three goals and 45 points in 52 games, but has only played four games since Jan. 16. He re-injured his groin on Feb. 23 against Columbus. DeBoer said that all Karlsson needs is time, but there is no timetable on how long he’ll be out.

Western Notes: Canucks Defense, Fabbri, Benn, Parise

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With the playoffs being a longshot for the Vancouver Canucks, the team needs to start focusing on next year, especially with their defense. General manager Jim Benning recently said that the blueline needs work and the team could find themselves being active participants in free agency this summer.

“We’re going to look this summer to try and change things up in the back end. There’s work to be done on defence,” he told reporters.

The Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston writes that the team will likely make a play for San Jose’s Erik Karlsson, Toronto’s Jake Gardiner and Winnipeg’s Tyler Myers or even try and deal for Jacob Trouba. All are possibilities, although many of them are likely to be longshots. In fact, there may not be many big-name defensive free agents that Vancouver can add.

However, while the team feels good about bringing Quinn Hughes on board later this year, possibly in the next few weeks, and have him take over a spot on the team’s top-four immediately, the Canucks have quite a few decisions of their own roster to make, including the status of defenseman Alexander Edler, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but has indicated a willingness to return to the team even though a they haven’t managed to work out an extension yet. The team will also have to give a significant pay raise to defenseman Ben Hutton who has had a solid season in Vancouver this year.

The Canucks are expected to give a long look to blueliner Ashton Sautner, and still have high expectations for Olli Juolevi, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Regardless, the team will need to do something to improve the teams defense next season.

  • It hasn’t exactly been the year that St. Louis Blues forward Robby Fabbri would have hoped for, but the oft-injured winger feels that his play is starting to turn the corner for the Blues, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Fabbri has appeared in just 29 games this season with just five points, but with injuries to Brayden Schenn and David Perron, Fabbri has been receiving those extra minutes as well as some time on the power play, showing some signs that interim head coach Craig Berube is starting to show some confidence in the 23-year-old forward, who has lost almost two seasons to serious knee injuries. “I’ve been feeling good, and I’ve been feeling good for a while,” Fabbri said. “But there’s nothing like playing games. There’s a lot of things during the game that you can only practice in-game. It’s nice that I’m getting that opportunity right now.” Coincidentally, Fabbri has been made a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game, replaced by Sammy Blais, according to NHL.com’s Lou Korac.
  • The Dallas Stars get a big boost on their offensive end as veteran forward Jamie Benn is expected back to their lineup Saturday against St. Louis, according to NHL.com’s Mark Stepneski. Benn was forced to leave their Feb. 24th game against the Chicago Blackhawks after suffering an upper-body injury early in the game and subsequently missed the next two games. “I’m good. Ready to go,” Benn said. “100 percent.” The team could use an offensive boost even though Benn hasn’t had his usual type of season with just 21 goals and just 20 assists in 61 games this season.
  • The Minnesota Wild will be without veteran forward Zach Parise, who will miss Saturday’s game in Calgary and is questionable for Sunday’s game against Nashville with a foot injury, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo. The 34-year-old Parise is having a impressive season with 24 goals and 54 points and has been hot lately with a goal and four assists in his last five games.

Pacific Notes: Burns, Kane, Quick, Carrier

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Already without Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson for Sunday, the San Jose Sharks could be without another Norris Trophy winner on Sunday as well as defenseman Brent Burns skipped today’s voluntary practice with a flu bug and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, according to the Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka. Oh, and Burns currently holds the iron man streak of 454 straight games played.

There’s a “little bit of a flu bug going through the team,” said Sharks’ head coach Peter DeBoer.

The team already announced that Karlsson will miss Sunday’s game due to re-tweaking a groin injury last week. However, the team hasn’t played a game without Burns on the ice since Nov. 21, 2013. The defenseman currently leads all Sharks with 71 points in 65 games and is in the running for his second Norris Trophy in the last three years. If Burns can’t play, the team is expected to utilize Joakim Ryan to replace him. Ryan hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 22.

  • Sticking with the Sharks, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that Evander Kane’s remains questionable for Sunday’s game after missing Friday with an undisclosed middle-body injury. Kurz writes that the injury to Kane is not considered to be serious. The 27-year-old has 27 goals and 51 points this year and is closing in on career highs in both areas.
  • The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) suggests that this may be Jonathan Quick’s last season in Los Angeles as the team might be looking to trade their longtime goaltender. With a solid season by backup Jack Campbell and the impressive play of rookie Calvin Petersen, the team could consider moving on from Quick. While most teams in need of a goaltender might be looking at Sergei Bobrovsky as their first choice, Quick might make a solid second option for teams who miss out on Bobrovsky. Of course, the 33-year-old Quick isn’t having his best season as he has just 11 wins, a 3.31 GAA and a .897 save percentage and is owed $5.8MM for four more years. However, most people expect Quick to rebound after a tough, injury-plagued season.
  • David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Vegas Golden Knights fourth-liner William Carrier, who has missed six straight games with an upper-body injury and has appeared in only 48 games this season, could begin skating today and could return to the lineup within the next two weeks. Carrier is second in the NHL in hits with 247 this season, two behind teammate Ryan Reaves.

Western Notes: Zuccarello, Chiasson, Binnington, Karlsson

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The Dallas Stars traded for Mats Zuccarello Saturday evening and brought him to Dallas early Sunday. The team traded two conditional picks for the veteran winger, including a conditional third-round pick in 2020 that could turn into a first-rounder if Zuccarello re-signs with the Stars.

However, Zuccarello was non-committal when asked about his thoughts of his impending UFA status, according to The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro. The veteran said he isn’t thinking about it right now and his goal in Dallas is to help the team get into the playoffs and beyond.

  • On a negative note, Zuccarello, who fared well in his debut with Dallas with a goal and an assist, left Sunday’s game against Chicago as the Stars announced that he would not come back after suffering an upper-body injury. Zuccarello was hit in the arm or hand while blocking a shot by Chicago’s Ryan Murphy late in the second period (video link here). Forward Jamie Benn was also declared out with a lower-body injury as the team suddenly lost several players in their newly-enhanced lineup. No word on the severity of either injury.
  • TSN’s Ryan Rishaug writes that the Edmonton Oilers might still make a move at the deadline with forward Alex Chiasson being the most viable trade chip the team has. The team would be looking for a pick and Rishaug believes that if a team is willing to offer up a third-rounder for Chiasson, the team will pull the trigger on a deal. Chiasson has 17 goals this season and has been one of the few bright spots during a dismal season in Edmonton.
  • Fox Sports Andy Strickland writes that St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington will become a Group 2 restricted free agent this summer once the goaltender hits 26 games this season. The standard number is 28 games, but Binnington signed his entry-level contract in the 2012-13 season, which had a reduced schedule due to the lockout and the number of games was reduced. The 25-year-old goaltender, who spent a good portion of his career in the AHL, has a 14-2-1 record to go with a 1.70 GAA and a .934 save percentage. He is in line to get a significant pay raise.
  • The San Jose Sharks were without star defenseman Erik Karlsson once again Sunday after he left Saturday’s game after re-tweaking his strained groin, which kept him out of nine games recently, and there is no word on how long he’s be out, according to Mercury News’ Paul Gackle. Head coach Peter DeBoer expressed optimism that it wouldn’t be long. Of course, DeBoer said the same thing when Karlsson first was injured, which could be worrying. “We have MRIs and those types of things, but you get put in spots, you can re-tweak, you can overextend it,” DeBoer said. “Everybody thinks it’s healthy and then you get hit a certain way. It’s a contact sport. You can’t control that stuff.”

Pacific Notes: Kovalchuk, Hoffman, Ritchie, Karlsson

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The Los Angeles Kings may have moved one of their biggest trade chips several weeks ago in Jake Muzzin, but don’t expect the Kings to stand pat as the deadline nears. Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times writes that general manager Rob Blake has spoken to veteran winger Ilya Kovalchuk, who is seriously considering waiving his no-move clause to go to a contender.

However, Kovalchuk, who signed a three-year, $18.75MM deal last summer, might not fetch a big return for the Kings. A team has to be willing to take on two more years of the 35 year-old’s contract which carries an expensive $6.25MM AAV with it. He has scored 13 goals and has 28 points in 50 games so far this year, while dealing with injuries, but few teams would be willing to give up more than a lower-level prospect to take on Kovalchuk.

Elliott also points out that Los Angeles are far more likely to hold onto defenseman Alec Martinez, who might not bring back the return they were hoping for, while few teams have shown much interest in Jeff Carter so far.

  • Sportsnet’s Marc Savard tweets that the Florida Panthers are getting a lot of calls on forward Mike Hoffman and the Arizona Coyotes, who are looking to make a late playoff run, are pushing hard to acquire the speedy winger. The 29-year-old is having a nice season as he has 26 goals and 51 points, which is in line for a career year. Hoffman could bring back a signficant return as he has another year on his deal at $5.19MM and would be another significant addition of scorers for the Coyotes.
  • The Anaheim Ducks may make a quiet move or two, but after agreeing to a five-year extension with Jakob Silfverberg, the team lacks any significant trade assets to move at the trade deadline. However, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) writes that with the play of Max Jones and the Max Comtois (currently in juniors), winger Nick Ritchie might be expendable now and be potentially available. A holdout at the beginning of the season, Ritchie eventually signed an inexpensive three-year deal, totaling just $4.6MM, which some teams might covet. Ritchie, of course, hasn’t proven he can be anything more than a 15-goal scorer.
  • Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that Erik Karlsson, who left in the second period of Saturday’s loss to Columbus, tweaked his groin injury in the game. No word on the severity of the injury, however. Karlsson already missed a month between January and February with that lower-body injury, and more missed time would be a setback for a Sharks’ team trying to work their way to the top of the Pacific Division. Head coach Peter DeBoer said he is concerned. “Absolutely,” said DeBoer. “I thought we were as conservative and cautious as you can be but muscle injuries you don’t know. Sometimes you get in positions or over-extend it. We’ll see where it’s at tomorrow.”

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