Penguins’ Karlsson talks Ottawa speculation, and last-place Sharks: ‘It’s never fun to watch’
Erik Karlsson and the Pittsburgh Penguins face the San Jose Sharks on Thursday looking to stay alive in NHL playoff race
Erik Karlsson requested a trade from the San Jose Sharks last offseason to a team more able to compete for a Stanley Cup. He ended up with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the move hasn’t worked out quite the way anyone hoped, with the team well out of a playoff spot.
This has led to some speculation that Karlsson might be open to returning to the Ottawa Senators, as his good friend, Daniel Alfredsson, is back with the organization, now as an assistant coach. Karlsson spent the first nine years of his NHL career with the Senators from 2009 to 2018, winning the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2012 and 2015.
Karlsson, though, downplayed – to some degree — the possibility of returning to Ottawa, where his wife and in-laws are from and where he still owns a home.
“That’s Canada for you,” Karlsson said hours before the Penguins played the Sharks at PPG Paints Arena. “I played there for a long time, so I kind of know how that game works. They’ve got a lot of things to talk about every day because they’ve got a lot of airtime, but very few things to actually discuss.
“So they like to make up these ‘what if’ scenarios, and that’s just the way it is. And it’s not something that I really look into or worry too much about.”
The Sharks are all too familiar with how challenging it is to move Karlsson and his contract. The three-time Norris Trophy winner’s salary cap hit for the next three seasons after this one is $10 million per year, and he has a full no-movement clause, with control over wherever he goes next.
Karlsson, who had 44 points in 64 games before Thursday, will be 34 in May.
For now, he says he’s happy in Pittsburgh.
“They’ve all been great here,” Karlsson said. “It obviously hasn’t gone the way we expected, but it’s a great group of guys here and a fantastic organization. I’ve enjoyed my time so far, and I’m looking forward to enjoying the future of it as well.”
ON THE SHARKS: The Sharks, amid a full rebuild, enter Thursday in last place in the NHL standings with a 16-41-7 record. They’ve lost 10 of their last 11 games.
“It’s never fun to watch,” Karlsson said. “I have a lot of friends over there still and care about them deeply. I’ve been through it myself a couple of times and it’s not fun. It’s hard. It’s a battle.
“But they’re good people and they’ve got a bit of a road ahead of them. Unfortunately, all you can do sometimes is just go through it and wait for the better times, which, eventually, is going to come.”
KARLSSON ON HERTL: Karlsson, like most others, was surprised to see Tomas Hertl get traded last week to the Vegas Golden Knights.
“I hadn’t heard anything leading up to it, and I don’t think anyone else had, either,” Karlsson said. “So there was a bit of a surprise. But he’s going to get a chance to go to a good team and compete for the Stanley Cup, which is why we play this game.
“I’m sure it was bittersweet for him. No one wants to leave after being in a place for that long. But I’m sure he’s excited for that opportunity as well, so it’ll be fun to follow him in Vegas now.”