San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) controls the puck against Ottawa Senators' Tim Stutzle (18) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson was back inside the Canadian Tire Centre just outside of Ottawa on Saturday, and the Senators team that he starred with for nearly a decade is reportedly interested in a reunion.
Karlsson, who is enjoying his best start with the Sharks since was acquired from Ottawa in Sept. 2018, has garnered interest from multiple teams, including the underperforming Senators, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported earlier Saturday.
It’s easy to see why the Senators would have an interest. Karlsson had an assist in the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to the Senators and now has 11 goals and 33 points — totals that lead all NHL defensemen — after 27 games. San Jose (8-15-4) completes its four-game road trip Sunday in Buffalo.
Karlsson played in Ottawa from 2009 to 2018, capturing the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2012 and 2015. In those nine years, Karlsson was the league’s most prolific defenseman with 518 points in 627 regular season games as he helped the Senators reach the playoffs five times.
Karlsson has a no-movement clause in his eight-year, $92 million contract that he signed with the Sharks in June 2019, giving him full veto power over any potential trade.
But Karlsson and his wife, Melinda, who is from Ottawa, still own a home in the area, and the Senators, who had higher expectations this season, could use a spark after they entered Saturday with a 9-13-1 record.
Asked before Saturday’s game if he’s thought about a potential trade, Karlsson said, “No, if I lived like that, I don’t think I would have gotten very far. I’m here right now, I’m happy and whatever happens, is going to happen. I try and stay in the moment.
“Who knows what’s gonna happen? You never know. Could be another COVID situation for all we know, and so you can’t really walk around thinking like that. It’s going to ruin you.”
Asked if he would like to play in Ottawa after his contract expires following the 2026-27 season, Karlsson said, “I don’t know. It’s so far away. If I had the answers to those questions, I probably would have changed my approach a little bit, but we can’t live like that.
“I’m just happy to be here right now, playing at the level that I am, and I know that I still have a lot left in me. So hopefully I’ve got a few more years, even after the expiration of this deal.”
THORNTON NOT GOING TO SPENGLER CUP: Joe Thornton will reportedly not be participating in the Spengler Cup, an annual post-Christmas invitational in Davos, Switzerland that has historically featured European teams and an entry solely made up of Canadian players.
Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek said Thornton, 43, was asked to participate in the tournament, but the former longtime Shark said he was “unavailable.”
The Canadian entry is usually made up of Canadians who are playing for club teams in Europe or on AHL contracts. This year, Team Canada is being coached by Travis Green, formerly of the Vancouver Canucks. Shane Doan is the team’s general manager.
Thornton has spent time around the Sharks this fall, taking in practices and games with members of the team’s front office, including general manager Mike Grier.
Thornton, born in London, Ontario, has ties to Switzerland as he also carries a Swiss passport, and his wife, Tabea, is a native of the country. The two met during the 2004-05 season when the NHL locked out its players.
Thornton played for HC Davos that year, helping the team win the Swiss League championship and the Spengler Cup. He also played 33 games for the team in 2012-13.
Thornton has played internationally for Canada several times, most notably at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. Canada did not medal in 2006, but Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle, and Dany Heatley, all Sharks players at the time, won gold at the 2010 Vancouver games.
Originally published at Curtis Pashelka