Sharks and Karlsson continue to work on an extension
Kevin Kurz of The Athletic: The San Jose Sharks are working had to keep pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Erik Karlsson from getting to free agency and the interview period.
A league source is saying that both sides continue to work on getting an extension done.
The deal could be in Drew Doughty range – eight years at around $88 million – an $11 million salary cap hit.
The Sharks are the only team that can offer Karlsson eight years, and after an injury-filled year and surgery a couple of weeks, the market for him has cooled.
If the Sharks re-sign Karlsson in the $10 to $11 million range, it may change what they could do with fellow pending UFA Joe Pavelski. Pavelski would like to return.
Joe Thornton hasn’t decided what he is going to do next season, but a source said the expectation is that he’ll return for another season.
Wild would consider “any and all” trade offers
Jessi Pierce of NHL.com: Minnesota Wild GM Paul Fenton said they would consider “any and all” trade offers.
“It’s analyzing where you are as a team,” he said. “I’m very happy with our goaltending and our defense. But I think if something became available where I could move something to get something that would improve us in an area, then I definitely would consider it.
“Just because we don’t on July 1, doesn’t mean there’s not going to be something that comes available before we open up the season.”
Fenton doesn’t anticipate drafting goaltender Spencer Knight at No. 12.
On Jason Zucker‘s name being in the trade rumors and their plans for him.
“Just like every other player, his name is out there, it started to splatter. It’s really unfair, to be honest. I’ve talked about every player on our roster that doesn’t have a no-trade, no-move contract. It just happens to be that his name gets mentioned out there more. It has nothing to do with Jason Zucker himself. It’s the nature of the business.”
Fenton said they don’t have any plans to trade defenseman Jared Spurgeon and they’ve talked to his agent about an extension.