Is Erik Karlsson Back? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTkzNTExODA3MjAwMDExNzYw/usatsi_19322533.jpg] A recent report by TSN's Pierre LeBrun indicating the San Jose Sharks are willing to listen to trade offers [https://thehockeynews.com/news/a-fire-sale-could-be-in-the-san-jose-sharks-future] has some pundits wondering about Erik Karlsson's future. Now in his 14th NHL season, Karlsson is off to the best start of his career. Entering this weekend, the 32-year-old leads all NHL defensemen [https://www.nhl.com/stats/] with 10 goals and 18 points and sits among the league's top scorers. Is Erik Karlsson Back? Karlsson's red-hot performance had the Toronto Star's Kevin McGran [https://www.thestar.com/sports/breakaway_blog/2022/11/01/13-musings-why-the-leafs-should-have-seen-trouble-coming-plus-the-market-for-erik-karlsson.html?rf] suggesting Karlsson “looks like he's auditioning for a trade.” He also pointed out that the puck-moving rearguard has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $11.5 million. Nevertheless, McGran wondered if the Sharks would retain half of Karlsson's cap hit and perhaps accept a player earning over $5.6 million as part of the return. His colleague Nick Kypreos [https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/opinion/2022/11/02/the-state-of-the-shanaplan-where-the-leafs-stand-on-kyle-dubas-sheldon-keefe-and-barry-trotz.html] also wondered if the Sharks would retain “40 or 50 percent” of his salary, suggesting there isn't a contender in the league that Karlsson couldn't help. Sharks GM Mike Grier already shipped out one expensive defenseman by sending Brent Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes in July. The 37-year-old Burns, however, has a less burdensome cap hit ($8 million) for a shorter period (through 2024-25) plus he's been healthier than Karlsson in recent years. The Sharks also retained just $2.72 million of Burns' cap hit. Grier might not be keen to carry up to $5.75 million in dead cap space through 2027 when Karlsson's contract expires unless a rival club offers up incentives like first-round draft picks and promising young prospects. That's assuming, of course, Karlsson agrees to waive his no-movement clause.
