Erik Carlsson has a big contract with the bottom team San Jose Sharks.
Now general manager Mike Grier confirms that the Swedish star could be considered for a three-year deal.
A scenario may arise, Greer says.
When Eric Carlson Traded from the Ottawa Senators to the San Jose Sharks In the fall of 2018, he joined the team that went all out to challenge for the Stanley Cup.
EK65 received a whopping $11.5 million cap hit (hitting the salary cap) contract, making him the highest paid defensive lineman in the entire NHL.
But the sharks’ bet paid off.
Carlson was seriously injured, the goaltending game was sometimes getting all the criticism and Brent Burns’ age was starting to show.
Nowadays, the club has gotten rid of Burns (traded to the Carolina Hurricanes) and, by all accounts, they are on their way to a so-called rebuild, i.e. a major cleanup where older, higher-paid talent is traded for youngsters. Talents and/or draft picks.
“we will see”
Now General Manager Mike Greer has also confirmed that Erik Carlson may be next in line to be traded before the March 3 deadline.
– There may be a scenario where the team asks us about him, because I think he is a player who makes a difference. He’s someone who can go out and win a game for you, or win a playoff game for you, so that’s something that could show up down the road. We’ll see, Greer says according to NHL.com.
Has a no-trade clause
The San Jose Sharks are at the bottom of the table, but Erik Carlson has seen a renaissance and has been as bad as he was during stints with the Ottawa Senators earlier in his career.
He currently leads defensemen in scoring with 22 points (10+12) in the 17 games he’s played, and thus – despite his huge contract – is the frontrunner for teams with a chance to go all season.
The 32-year-old said before this season that he did not want to leave San Jose and also has a so-called no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he must himself agree to a potential deal.
If he was to be sent his way, it would have to be by agreement between him and general manager Mike Greer.
– I will try to be straight and honest with my veterans and keep them updated. “I want their opinion on how they feel and what they want to do when it comes to the next step in their career,” Greer says.