Erik Karlsson requests for trade out of San Jose and teams are already kicking tires!

Erik Karlsson is back on the market. According to Pierre LeBrun, the San Jose Sharks and their star defenseman are on the same page about working out a trade this summer. Karlsson’s representative met with management last week to get a trade rolling seeing that the blue liner wants to play for a contender, while the Sharks are looking to rebuild. This is what LeBrun revealed on last night’s Insider Trading on TSN:

“They’re on the same page. That’s where they are. Both sides met last week, Karlsson’s reps from Newport Sports and Sharks management. They came out of that meeting saying, ‘Yes, let’s try to get a trade done.’ Erik Karlsson wants to play for a contender and the Sharks are rebuilding and so they really have a unified vision on where this needs to go, but you mentioned the contract. Is there a team out there, that can eat enough of that deal or how much are the Sharks willing to eat? Of course, Karlsson, has a full no-move and will have the last say on if he’s comfortable with a trade partner. No guarantee this deal gets done, but a few teams already kicking tires the last few days.”

While Karlsson might be seeking a change of scenery for 2023-24, there is no guarantee a trade materializes given his contract and full no-movement clause. He is under contract for another four seasons with an $11.5-million cap hit, and no-move clause extends for the duration of the eight-year deal he signed with the Sharks almost four years ago to the day on June 17, 2019.

It makes sense nonetheless that rival teams are calling in to inquire about Karlsson, who is the favorite to win what will be his third Norris Trophy for performance this past season. He put up 25 goals and 76 assists for San Jose while suiting up for all 82 games. He also became the oldest blue liner ever to notch at least 100 points in a season, only the sixth defenseman to ever accomplish the feat, and the first since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.

At the trade deadline, the Sharks were reportedly engaged in talks with the Edmonton Oilers about moving Karlsson. It remains to be seen if the Oilers come calling again…

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