Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News: San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson has now hit the 100-point mark, becoming the first defenseman in 31 years to do so. Has he played his last home game in San Jose? Will the soon-to-be 33-year-old’s time with the Sharks be coming to an end this Thursday?
“I think we all understand the situation and it’s not something that I try and think about right now,” Karlsson told this news organization when asked about Saturday possibly being his at home with the Sharks.
“I think once the season is over, we’ll sit down and evaluate, and move on from there. But right now, I don’t try and focus too much on what’s going to happen in the future. I’m going to try and close out these last five as well as possible to try and cap off the season the right way.”
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Karlsson said he hasn’t spoken to GM Mike Grier recently about his future. There was lots of speculation before the trade deadline that the Edmonton Oilers and the Sharks were talking, but not to the point where Karlsson was approached about his no-movement clause.
He has four years left at $11.5 million and the Sharks would likely need to retain some salary.
Stephen Whyno: “Erik Karlsson is the first defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to record 100 points in a season.”
James O’Brien: “Karlsson owns three of the 10 highest-scoring seasons for defensemen in the salary cap era:
100+ this season, 82 in 2015-16 (sixth-best), and 78 in 2011-12 (eighth-best)”
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