San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson Content to Remain in San Jose

The San Jose Sharks are shaping up to be sellers once again as the 2023 Trade Deadline looms nearer. Despite numerous attempts to get the team back on track, no tangible results have come of the current roster’s performance. The possibility of the Sharks needing to enter a full rebuild seems to increase with each passing month. Regardless, they will likely be looking to send players away in a few months, and there is no bigger name in those discussions than Erik Karlsson.

Related: Sharks Should Consider Not Trading Karlsson

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Karlsson is in the midst of an unreal season. Through the 46 games he’s played this year, he has an astonishing 62 points. Somehow, he is already 20 points away from tying his season-best point total in his entire career. On a mediocre Sharks team, this kind of performance stands out like a sore thumb. Because of this, the discussion around whether he will be moved is an ever-present debate in the league, especially since Karlsson’s most recent conversation with The Athletic‘s Pierre LeBrun (from “LeBrun: Erik Karlsson’s priority as trade talks swirl, Sharks sink? ‘I want to win’”, The Athletic, 1/20/23).

On Erik Karlsson and the trade deadline, on loving life in San Jose but also desperately wanting to win. The decision that awaits him perhaps sometime over the next year. My latest:
via @TheAthletic https://t.co/ol1QUiMsta

Since Karlsson’s appearance on LeBrun’s TSN podcast, “Got Yer Back,” speculation has run rampant on what his comments on “wanting to win” could mean. Obviously, lots of fans and hockey writers were quick to jump on the idea that he wants to be traded. However, that does not seem to be the case. In fact, there are plenty of signs that seem to point to the idea that he could be content burning out the remainder of his contract in San Jose for the time being.

Despite Wanting to Win, Karlsson is Feeling Good

It’s hard not to respect Karlsson for being dedicated to the Sharks. Considering he was able to spend a single season on the team before they lost all possibilities for contention, it’s not difficult to imagine that he is frustrated with the process. That being said, his leadership qualities shone through big time when LeBrun asked if he felt more prepared for a trade now than he did in Ottawa.

So yeah, I do think I will handle this a little bit differently. I don’t think it’s something that I’m walking around thinking about too much. I think that once we…