San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier said Tuesday he’ll listen to trade offers for Erik Karlsson but also added the two-time Norris Trophy winner is content with where he is right now and that no deal would occur without his approval.
“I’ll listen, but ultimately it’s also going to be up to Erik,” Grier said after the NHL general managers’ meeting in Toronto, per NHL.com.
“He has a no-trade clause and he has control over what he wants to do. I know he is happy right now. He is happy in San Jose. His family is happy there. And we are delighted with the way he is playing.”
Karlsson, 32, is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $92 million deal that carries an average annual value of $11.5 million, making him the NHL’s highest-paid defenseman. He also has a full no-movement clause in his contract, with veto powers over any potential trade.
Karlsson is also off to the best start to a season since he was acquired by the Sharks in Sept. 2018.
Going into Tuesday’s game with the Vegas Golden Knights, Karlsson had 10 goals and 22 points in 17 games, totals that are tops among all defensemen. His 22 points are tied for second-most among any player in Sharks history through 17 team games, bettered only by Owen Nolan’s 23 points in 17 games to start the 1999-2000 season.
“He’s a dynamic player,” Grier said of Karlsson. “For me, he’s probably one of the three best offensive defensemen in the league, and he excels for us. He did everything we asked for in terms of preparation, training, and playing. He is fantastic.
“So there could be a scenario where a team asks about him because I think he can be a difference maker. He’s the kind of player who can win you a game — or a series, for that matter — so something might happen. We will see.”
TSN reported late last month that Grier would listen to trade offers on almost every Sharks player except for Tomas Hertl, who is in the first season of an eight-year, $65.1 million contract. Hertl’s deal carries a full no-movement clause that lasts until the end of the 2024-25 season when a modified no-trade clause is set to begin.
The Sharks have missed the playoffs the last three seasons and began this year with an 0-5-0 record under new coach David Quinn. Since then, though, thanks in large part to Karlsson, the Sharks have gone 5-4-3 and came into Tuesday sixth in the Pacific Division, three points out of a playoff spot.
Quinn visited Karlsson in Ottawa this summer after he became the Sharks’ coach in late July, the start of what’s been a positive relationship between the two so far.
“I think the communication with (Karlsson) was honest and open,” Grier said. “If he needs a day off or wants to chat about hockey-related things, our doors are always open. And I think he feels good where he is now, both in his personal and family life and in the relationship he has with us, where it’s give and take.”
Grier spoke with several Sharks veteran players after he became general manager in early July, and relayed his vision for the organization going forward. He asked the players whether they wanted to remain with the Sharks — who might be another year or two away from being a serious playoff contender — or go to more of a win-now team.
Defenseman Brent Burns, now 37 with three years left on his contract, waived his modified no-trade clause and accepted a deal to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 13. Other veterans like Karlsson and Logan Couture reiterated their commitment to the Sharks.
A Karlsson trade could become more likely if the Sharks fall out of the playoff chase and multiple teams express interest in Karlsson.
“I try to stay in touch with (Karlsson) every week, whether it’s just having coffee with him or things like that at the training facility or on the road,” Grier said. “I make sure I know how he is doing, both for him and for other of our veterans.
“Depending on how the season goes, I’ll try to be honest with these guys and keep them updated. I also want to know their opinions, how they feel and what they want to do regarding the next steps in their careers.”