San Jose Sharks: Win-now mode evident with Erik Karlsson extension

The management of the San Jose Sharks made a clear statement in retaining the commitment to deliver a Stanley Cup by keeping star defenseman Erik Karlsson in the Bay Area for the next eight years.

After landing another blockbuster trade last offseason, the stakes were high for Doug Wilson to ensure that Erik Karlsson would not be one-and-done player with the San Jose Sharks. In the past, recent trades for veteran rental players (Bill Guerin, Brian Campbell) ended up leaving and high draft picks depleted a thin Sharks’ farm system.

In terms of draft picks, the prospect pipeline will likely be thin with only a few players possibly ready to make the jump. The Sharks first-round pick got sent to the Ottawa Senators as part of the Karlsson trade and Ottawa will now receive a 2021 second-round selection with the star defenseman staying in San Jose.

Given the generational talent Karlsson possesses, a player of his caliber is not often available as these players are often the face of the franchise. For Ottawa, a rebuild became the focus, and Karlsson was no longer in the plans. After missing out on John Tavares, Wilson still had the chips on the table and dealt for Karlsson.

An extension did not appear to be out of the question once Karlsson arrived and made his first appearance as a Shark donning the new “Stealth Jersey” during an intermission frame from a preseason game. No matter the outcome of the 2018-19 season, the priority became clear to keep the elite defenseman in teal.

San Jose quickly developed into an attractive franchise for players to sign with the consistent playoff appearances and culture from the current players. Circle back to the 2005-06 season when Wilson sent his first shockwave through the league after acquiring Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins.

Thornton had recently signed an extension with Boston before the trade occurred. The Sharks fell out of the playoff picture early after a 10-game losing streak occurred around November. Wilson did not fold and presented an offer in which management in Boston reluctantly chose to accept.

With a cornerstone piece in Thornton and former Shark Patrick Marleau, getting high-level players through free agency or trades made the Sharks consistent contenders. Some acquisitions benefitted (Dan Boyle) while others (Dany Heatley, Martin Havlat) did not work to Wilson’s expectations.

Overall, credit Wilson and Sharks’ management for creating an environment that has allowed players to be themselves and make the Bay Area a destination to play hockey.

Take last offseason for example with Evander Kane who chose to sign a seven-year extension instead of testing the free agent waters. Kane wanted to get a taste of playoff hockey, and San Jose was the team he envisioned.

But Thornton, Kane, and Karlsson are not the only exceptions for the current core on the Sharks. Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic all signed extensions last offseason. All three undoubtedly left money on the table and could have gotten their expected value if they chose to go.

Instead, the goal of a Stanley Cup is the objective, and all three wanted to do their part in keeping the team competitive.

For Karlsson, the Norris Trophy winner gets his payday as expected. Generally, Wilson chooses to keep discussions private with deals amongst current players. The deal is expected to have a salary cap hit of $11.5 million.

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Uncertainty did creep in after reports Karlsson and his agent opted to end extension talks as the NHL trade deadline drew to a close. Under the current CBA agreement, Karlsson could not sign an extension until after the trade deadline.

Plenty of suitors would have gone after Karlsson had he opted to sign with another club on July 1. After taking an ad out of the page to thank Sharks’ fans, signs pointed to an exit. But Karlsson remained in the Bay Area after groin surgery and was spotted in crutches at a Golden State Warriors playoff game.

Throughout the process, getting a deal done was the chief objective for Wilson as he didn’t want to let a superstar player just walk away. The Sharks allowed Karlsson to adjust to the Bay Area and gave him time to ultimately decide on his final destination.

With the deal comes a risk for the Sharks organization as health became apparent at critical junctures for Karlsson during the campaign. The adjustment period took a few months as Karlsson appeared out of sync in finding chemistry with his new teammates.

His first groin injury came on the road against the Arizona Coyotes and he ended up missing time to recover. He came back but only to miss the rest of the regular season after re-injuring his groin again in Boston.

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Karlsson looked to be at full health in the Colorado series, but the injury became apparent after appearing in discomfort on the bench in the conference final against the St. Louis Blues.

Injuries have hurt Karlsson in his career with both Ottawa and San Jose and his conditioning will likely be a major focus at the start of training camp. On a positive note, he will be present at the beginning, unlike last year when he arrived towards the middle of camp after being acquired.

Overall, the hope is that Karlsson flashes the form of his ability that allows him to move the puck and make plays like his teammate on the blueline in Brent Burns. From December to mid-January, the Sharks put together their best hockey, finally living up to the status of Stanley Cup contenders as Karlsson played brilliantly.

Points came in bunches for Karlsson, posting 45 points in 53 games despite missing time from his injuries. He had a significant presence in playoffs, recording 16 points.

Hopefully, Karlsson can be active for many years to come in a teal sweater.

From being a possible bubble team to now being solidified as contenders, the Sharks will remain a force in the Western Conference. A considerable gamble is about to move forward, but Wilson is choosing to stay all-in and not refresh the lineup.