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Erik Karlsson

Latest On Erik Karlsson Trade Talks

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported today on the NHL Network that the San Jose Sharks remain steadfast in their efforts to trade reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Friedman goes on to say that the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins are the two teams that the Sharks are talking to and adds that Carolina may need to work out of a move for defenseman Brett Pesce to acquire some assets to complete a Karlsson deal.

On the Pittsburgh side of things, Josh Yohe of The Athletic wrote an article today that outlined why Erik Karlsson is the type of player that general manager Kyle Dubas needs to acquire. Yohe highlights exactly why Karlsson is the right player for the team and the situation the Penguins are currently in. While most of Yohe’s article is in defense of the Penguins acquiring the defenseman, he also adds a couple of pieces of information regarding a potential move. Yohe says that any move Pittsburgh makes for Karlsson would be complex and would involve a third team, which is no surprise given that Karlsson is owed $11.5MM annually for the next four seasons.

Friedman reported Tuesday on his 32 Thoughts Podcast that one hold-up to the potential deal was that teams wanted the Sharks to retain more of Karlsson’s cap hit. He went on to add that at the trade deadline in March San Jose was willing to retain between 18-20% of Karlsson’s cap hit to facilitate a deal. Friedman believes the Sharks will need to retain closer to 30% of the deal which would turn Karlsson into an $8MM player for the acquiring team, and should net the Sharks a better return. Something they are open to. Friedman also reported today on the NHL Network that he believes the Sharks have pursued unrestricted free-agent defenseman Matt Dumba as a possible replacement for Karlsson.

At this point, it almost feels as though the Penguins must acquire Karlsson. Not only would they block Carolina from adding Karlsson to their already stacked defensive unit, but it would help to jump-start their offence which became stale last year for long stretches. Pittsburgh feels like a team that needs a jolt as they have been unable to get out of the first round of the playoffs since 2018 and didn’t even qualify for the postseason last year. Adding a 101-point defenseman would also alleviate some of the offensive pressure off Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the rest of the Penguins’ top-6 forward group who almost single-handily carried the team last season. And while Dubas has been busy overhauling the black hole that was the Penguins’ bottom six, he still hasn’t added much in the way of offensive firepower.

Multiple Teams Engaging In Erik Karlsson Trade Talks

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An expectedly hot trade market could soon see a rather Earth-shattering trade. Newly-crowned Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks has been on the trade block for quite some time, and he’s made it known he’d like to get dealt to a contender.

Now, we have some clarity on some teams EK65 could suit up for next season. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Seattle Kraken have reportedly initiated discussions with the Sharks regarding the possibility of acquiring the star defenseman, says Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. LeBrun also indicates, though, that Karlsson has not yet provided Sharks general manager Mike Grier with a list of preferred destinations, leaving the trade negotiations as an “open canvas.”

Karlsson boasts a massive $11.5MM cap hit through 2027 and has long been considered one of the most dynamic defensemen in the league. However, injuries had plagued the Swedish defenseman in recent seasons, dampening his on-ice impact. 2022-23 saw him shake off most of the rust, though, becoming the first defenseman to record 100 points in a season since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. Nevertheless, his defensive deficiencies combined with the concern for re-injury will likely involve the Sharks, and potentially a third party, retaining massive amounts of his salary.

The Maple Leafs are definitely the team who would need the most help via salary retention to get a deal done. They are slated to have around $14.75MM in cap space with defenseman Jake Muzzin headed for long-term injured reserve, but they need to fill at least five roster spots at forward and get a new contract signed for netminder Ilya Samsonov. A trade, however unlikely it may seem, could include T.J. Brodie, who’s locked in at a $5MM cap hit next season and is a UFA in 2024. Karlsson would essentially replace his spot in the lineup.

Few teams would complement Karlsson’s puck-moving style as well as Carolina. This is likely a fallback option for them if they can’t reach an extension with Brett Pesce, although it’s hard to imagine two players at further ends of the defense spectrum. One would have to wonder about the necessity of acquiring Karlsson for the ’Canes, though, as a former teammate of Karlsson’s,  Brent Burns, is already under contract through 2025, and they’re still working on acquiring Anthony DeAngelo from the Philadelphia Flyers (which, legally, can’t be completed for another few weeks for cap circumvention purposes).

As for the Kraken, the budding franchise has apparently wasted no time in trying to solidify themselves as a championship contender after winning their first playoff series this spring. They’ve got a bevy of talented forwards and a true four-line attack, but their biggest roster hole lies with a second-pairing right-shot defenseman behind shutdown stalwart Adam Larsson. They do have the cap room to make it work – their only notable expenditure this offseason will be re-signing blueliner Vince Dunn, which could cost them around $7MM per season. It still would leave them with about $13MM in cap space and very few other roster holes to fill, making this a very doable task for the Kraken with 35-50% salary retention.

More to come…

2023 NHL Awards Winners

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2023 The NHL Awards were given out tonight in Nashville. The ceremony kicks off what should be a busy week as teams continue to prepare for the NHL Entry Draft and free agency, which begins on July 1st.

Here is the full list of winners, with the top two runners-up in each category:

Calder Trophy – Top Rookie

Winner: Matthew Beniers (Kraken)

Runners-Up: Owen Power (Sabres), Stuart Skinner (Oilers)

Voting Results

Norris Trophy – Top Defenseman

Winner: Erik Karlsson (Sharks)

Runners-Up: Adam Fox (Rangers), Cale Makar (Avalanche)

Voting Results

Ted Lindsay Award – Most Outstanding Player (as voted by the players)

Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)

Runners-Up: Erik Karlsson (Sharks), David Pastrnak (Bruins)

Lady Byng Trophy – Most Gentlemanly Player

Winner: Anze Kopitar (Kings)

Runners-Up: Jack Hughes (Devils), Brayden Point (Lightning)

Voting Results

Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player

Winner: Connor McDavid (Oilers)

Runners-Up: David Pastrnak (Bruins), Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers)

Voting Results

Vezina Trophy – Goaltender Of The Year

Winner: Linus Ullmark (Bruins)

Runner-Ups: Connor Hellebuyck (Jets), Ilya Sorokin (Islanders)

Voting Results

Selke Trophy – Best Defensive Forward

Winner: Patrice Bergeron (Bruins)

Runners-Up: Mitchell Marner (Maple Leafs), Nico Hischier (Devils)

Voting Results

Jack Adams Award – Coach Of The Year

Winner: Jim Montgomery (Bruins)

Runners-Up: Dave Hakstol (Kraken), Lindy Ruff (Devils)

Voting Results

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication

Winner: Kris Letang (Penguins)

Runners-Up: Clayton Keller (Coyotes), Alex Stalock (Blackhawks)

King Clancy Memorial Trophy – Humanitarian

Winner: Mikael Backlund (Flames)

Runners-Up: Anders Lee (Islanders), Darnell Nurse (Oilers)

Mark Messier Leadership Award

Winner: Steven Stamkos (Lightning)

E.J. McGuire Award – Prospect Commitment to Excellence

Winner: Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, WHL)

 

Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees.

Connor McDavid Wins 2023 Ted Lindsay Award

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Connor McDavid has been named the recipient of the Ted Lindsay Award for the most outstanding player as voted on by the NHLPA. The award is unsurprising, given that McDavid ran away as the leader in almost every offensive category this season. McDavid posted 64 goals and 89 assists in 82 games this season as he led the league in goals, assists, and points. McDavid edged out Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak and San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson to win the award, the fourth of his young career.

More to come…

Trade Notes: Karlsson, DeBrincat, Pesce

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It’s not often that a defenseman is traded the summer after a Norris Trophy-winning, 101-point season, but that’s exactly what might happen with Erik Karlsson and the San Jose Sharks. With San Jose looking to rebuild and Karlsson’s historic regular season unable to lift the team out of the NHL’s basement, this summer could bring the second trade of Karlsson’s career. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading program that Karlsson’s representatives and the Sharks had a meeting last week about the player’s future, and the outcome of the meeting was a unified focus between team and player to “try and get a trade done” for next season.

Karlsson, 33, is in possession of a full no-movement clause in his contract meaning he would have final control over any destination. The largest barrier to any potential move isn’t expected to be that clause, though. Instead, it’s likely to be Karlsson’s $11.5MM cap hit, and whether interested teams will be willing to take on the full weight of that hit. (or whether the Sharks will need to retain a portion of the contract) In any case, it appears the Sharks and Karlsson’s camp share a motivation to find a trade outcome before the start of next season.

Some other notes about trade rumors from across the NHL:

    • Also on Insider Trading, TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that the Senators, by filing for arbitration with restricted free agent forward Alex DeBrincat, have “set the window for when they have to trade” the player. Johnston believes the Senators will make a push to get a DeBrincat trade finalized “by the draft this month” if possible. One might remember that DeBrincat was traded to Ottawa on draft day last year, and now based on Johnston’s report it seems he could get dealt on one of hockey’s most significant days once again, if not sooner.
    • Like DeBrincat, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce has the chance to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. On Insider Trading, LeBrun reported that while contract talks on an extension are continuing between Pesce and Carolina, the Hurricanes are “pretty resolute” that they’ll be trading him this summer if they can’t secure his signature on a new deal. LeBrun also adds that the Buffalo Sabres have already inquired about the possibility of trading for Pesce, potentially to be Owen Power’s long-term partner. It’s likely that the widely-respected 28-year-old blueliner would garner significant trade interest if put on the market. He just finished a year where he made a major impact on both ends of the ice, setting a career-high of 30 points while also serving as a leading penalty killer for a Carolina shorthanded unit that consistently ranks among the best in the NHL.

2023 Ted Lindsay Award Finalists Announced

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The NHL has announced the 2023 Ted Lindsay Award nominees. The award is given to the most outstanding player in the NHL and is voted on by the players. The Ted Lindsay Award is very similar to the Hart Trophy, with the unique feature of the award being that is that it is voted on by members of the NHLPA. Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs won the award last year and was the fourth different winner in as many years.

This year the finalists for the award are San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, and right winger David Pastrňák of the Boston Bruins.

McDavid continues to be widely regarded as the best player in the world and it is hard to argue with the numbers. The 26-year-old put up video game like numbers this year with 64 goals and 89 assists in 82 regular season games on his way to a third consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. McDavid outpaced the entire league by 25 points this season, with the second leading scorer being teammate Leon Draisaitl. He outscored fellow Ted Lindsay nominee Pastrňák by 40 points.

Pastrňák has a career year putting up 61 goals and 52 assists in 82 games as he led the Boston Bruins to a historical President’s Trophy winning regular season. The soon to be 27-year-old put up an incredible 43 even strength goals and 76 even strength points. Pastrňák nearly lapped his own team in scoring as he outscored the second leading Bruins scorer Brad Marchand by 46 points. Maybe the most impressive feat of all for Pastrňák was that he put up this incredible season in a contract year. Somehow the winger was able to keep out the noise and put-up terrific numbers before signing an eight year $90MM contract extension on March 2nd .

Speaking of historical seasons, defenseman Erik Karlsson eclipsed the 100 points mark this season finishing the year with 25 goals and 76 assists in 82 games. The smooth skating Swede was the first defenseman to top 100 points in 31 years. Even more impressive than that was the fact that Karlsson did it playing on a bad Sharks team while also dealing with his name being in trade talks all season. Karlsson topped his career high point total by 19, and quieted a lot of his harshest critics in what was an incredible offensive display.

It’ll be interesting to see who comes away with the Ted Lindsay award come June when the ceremony will be held in Nashville. McDavid is likely the favorite to pick up the award, however I wouldn’t discount a 100-point defenseman in this era as Karlsson is just the sixth defenseman ever to accomplish the feat.

2023 Norris Trophy Finalists Announced

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The National Hockey League is announcing finalists for all of their end of season awards this week. Today, they have revealed the three players that are up for the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. In the running are Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche.

Fox has quickly become known as one of the best offensive defensemen in the league, and his 72 points in 82 games are proof of that. He has also become a well-rounded defender and is regularly on the ice for the Rangers against the other team’s top players, and routinely takes over the play when he is on the ice. He also averaged over two minutes of ice time per game while his team was shorthanded, proving he can be counted on in all situations. The 25 year old has already won a Norris Trophy once, in 2021, and is now up for the award for the second time after playing just his fourth NHL season.

Karlsson had an incredible bounceback season for the Sharks. After scoring 97 points in 158 games combined over the previous three seasons, the 32-year-old defenseman had his best season yet by scoring 25 goals and 101 points. This was the first time a defenseman reached 100 points since Brian Leetch did so with the New York Rangers 31 years ago. Karlsson’s game is geared heavily towards offense and not as much towards defense, which could cost him in his quest for a third Norris Trophy after winning the award in 2012 and 2015. However, it is hard to argue the value of a defenseman that can score 101 points.

Makar has stormed onto the NHL scene much like Fox. Once they arrived, they immediately became stars. The 24-year-old defender won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2020, the Conn Smythe in 2022 as Playoffs MVP and he also took home the Norris Trophy last season. He was limited to 60 games this season, but made his mark by scoring 17 goals and 66 points while being a tremendous defensive presence as well. No one in the entire NHL averaged more time on ice per game than Makar’s 26:23 per contest and he is among the league’s best in all situations.

The Norris Trophy will be handed out on June 26th at the NHL Awards ceremony.

Marc-Édouard Vlasic Won’t Require Surgery

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NBC Sports reporter Sheng Peng tweeted today that San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Édouard Vlasic won’t require surgery for his lower body injury. Peng had reported earlier in the week that Vlasic would be sidelined for the remainder of the year and that he wouldn’t accompany the Sharks on their final road trip. Little is known about what is ailing Vlasic, but Peng also mentioned that the injury is a shorter-term issue.

Vlasic and the Sharks have had a forgettable few seasons. San Jose is 22-42-16 on the season and haven’t qualified for the playoffs since the 2018-19 season when they went to the Western Conference Finals. That playoff push capped off a run of the Sharks making the playoffs in 19 out of 21 seasons. Since that time, they have missed the postseason four years in a row. Unheard of for a franchise that had become accustomed to playoff hockey every spring.

For his part, Vlasic hasn’t topped 25 points since the 2018-19 season and has transitioned into more of a depth role. This season Vlasic had just a single goal and 18 points while taking up $7MM in cap space. The past couple of summers have seen talk of Vlasic being a buyout candidate, and with three years left on his contract and a partial no-movement clause, it seems unlikely that San Jose would find a taker for the 36-year-old.

The Sharks are sure to have an interesting summer as they move deeper into a rebuild. They have a middle of the pack farm system, a few desirable NHL assets, but have yet to build up much in the way of draft capital. They are at the beginning of what could be a very long and painful rebuild, but could jump start things if they choose to move defenseman Erik Karlsson.

West Notes: Karlsson, Chychrun, McDonough

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With Timo Meier already out the door, many have wondered if even more big changes will be coming to the San Jose Sharks before Friday’s trade deadline. More specifically, many have wondered if two-time Norris Trophy winner and leading defensive scorer Erik Karlsson could be traded. According to Karlsson himself, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to be a possibility. In speaking to The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak, Karlsson said “it would be weird” if Sharks GM Mike Grier asked him to waive his no-trade clause just a few days before the deadline, indicating that it would be a complete shock at this point if he were dealt in the next few days.

While the 32-year-old has had a vintage season (he’s on pace to score 105 points) Karlsson’s $11.5MM cap hit through the 2026-27 season has seemingly presented a significant obstacle toward finding an agreeable trade. The Edmonton Oilers have been widely rumored as having had interest in acquiring Karlsson, only for any trade talks to stall once the issue of retained salary came under the microscope. Despite his stellar play, it could be the Sharks’ reported unwillingness to retain a major chunk of Karlsson’s average annual salary (more than $1-2MM per year) that has thrown a wrench in any blockbuster mid-season deal happening.

  • With Karlsson seemingly off the market, the top defenseman on the market before Friday’s deadline is widely considered to be Arizona Coyotes blueliner Jakob Chychrun. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta issued an update on Chychrun’s status, tweeting that trade “talk has picked up,” although no trade is expected to be imminent. He also adds that the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, and Carolina Hurricanes are “three of the teams very much in the mix” to acquire Chychrun.
  • Northeastern University captain Aidan McDonough has had a strong senior season for the Huskies, scoring 36 points in 31 games, and is nearing a significant decision regarding his professional career. He’ll have the ability to choose his pro destination this summer and could potentially sign with a different team besides the Vancouver Canucks, the club that selected him 195th overall at the 2019 draft. Per CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, McDonough “is still very open to signing in VAN,” and his ultimate decision is “not far away.” It’s likely that quite a few teams would be interested in adding McDonough, so should Vancouver get him it would be a quality addition to their prospect system.

West Notes: Karlsson, Kane, Krug

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Edmonton Oilers fans’ dreams of two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson being traded to oil country might have to wait to become a reality. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is reporting that a deal between the Oilers and San Jose Sharks for Karlsson is considered “unlikely,” for mainly financial reasons. Pagnotta reports that while the Sharks are willing to retain two or three million dollars off of Karlsson’s deal, the Oilers want the Sharks to retain a more significant portion, around $5MM, if not more.

As a result, Pagnotta says that “it sounds like there haven’t been any recent serious discussions between the two clubs as a result” of those financial disagreements. The rationale for the Oilers to want to acquire Karlsson is very real, as he’s a Norris Trophy frontrunner with 76 points in 58 games. But asking San Jose to take on such a large number of dead cap dollars for the foreseeable future is a major ask, and it’s understandable that the Sharks balked at the prospect of making such a deal. According to Pagnotta, the Oilers could be pivoting to new targets, such as Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Klingberg, and Arizona Coyotes blueliner Shayne Gostisbehere.

Some other notes from across the Western Conference:

  • As relayed by NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis, Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson gave an update on the team’s situation with top trade candidate Patrick Kane. Davidson said that he is in “constant contact” with Kane’s representatives, but hasn’t yet heard a decision on whether Kane wants to be dealt and is willing to waive his trade protection. While Kane has had some health issues and scored less than he’d likely have hoped he would, his decision on a trade is still one of massive importance, as Kane is likely at or near the top of quite a few contending teams’ trade deadline wishlists.
  • The St. Louis Blues announced that defenseman Torey Krug left tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with a lower-body injury. It’s another stroke of bad luck for Krug, who has dealt with lingering injury issues recently. Krug’s performance this season has mirrored the Blues as a whole: inconsistent and largely disappointing. The veteran defenseman, who is on a $6.5MM AAV contract through 2027, has scored just 22 points in 40 games, a decline from last season when he scored 43 points in 64 games. Hopefully, this injury is not connected to what Krug has been dealing with in recent weeks and this absence was just a precautionary measure.

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