Erik Karlsson is on his way away from the San Jose Sharks.
But new information will make a move more difficult.
And now suddenly everything changes for the star.
Erik Karlsson is coming off a record season in the NHL where he became the first defenseman in 30 years to reach 100 points. The huge success has led to great speculation about his future, and it is already clear that he asked the San Jose Sharks to leave the club this summer.
Want to leave
A few years ago, the San Jose Sharks made Karlsson one of the league’s best-paid players, but they have not been close to the playoffs, and this season they ended up at the absolute bottom of the table. They will now begin a major rebuilding phase, and it is therefore in the Sharks’ interest to get rid of Karlsson’s massive salary.
So far, there has been talk of a number of clubs that would be interested in Karlsson; including the Edmonton Oilers, Seattle Kraken, Carolina Hurricanes but above all the Pittsburgh Penguins. Many have been tickled by the idea of seeing Karlsson in Pittsburgh, with players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but now comes information that will clearly complicate a move for Karlsson.
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The new data
The Hockey News writes that the discussions surrounding Karlsson have been toned down a bit in the past week, and that the salary will be a problem. Erik Karlsson earns $11.5 million per season, and there aren’t many teams in the NHL who can afford to bring in Karlsson for that amount, and at the same time stay on the right side of the salary cap. The Sharks have previously said they are willing to retain a portion of the salary, but according to The Hockey News, the amount they can consider retaining is lower than many had expected.
The Sharks cannot imagine keeping 50 percent, for example, which will make it difficult for Pittsburgh, for example, which is right on the border with the ceiling. Toronto, another rumored club, is eight million dollars over the limit – which makes it largely impossible to bring in the Swede. The teams that, according to the site, could realistically bring in Karlsson are now down to just two: Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken.
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