The San Jose Sharks missed the playoffs this year, so they are not immune from coming up in the NHL Rumors talk. Just like many others, changes are coming.
After longtime GM Doug Wilson stepped down, the team will make finding his replacement their top priority. Whomever they hire will then have to deal with improving a roster that is in dire need of fresh blood.
That could come in the form of trading one of their marquee blue-liners.
On the latest 32 Thoughts segment, it was revealed that the Sharks had some trade talk regarding defenseman Erik Karlsson.
NHL Rumors: Sharks’ Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns
“In San Jose, there were some very preliminary trade talks this year involving defenseman Erik Karlsson and a couple of teams,” Elliotte Friedman said. “I don’t think it will go anywhere but it says that the Sharks recognize that having two elite Norris winning right defensemen that hasn’t worked out.”
This revelation shouldn’t be all that shocking considering Karlsson openly stated he was against any type of rebuild.
“Obviously, I did not sign here to go through a rebuild or go through what I did for 10 years in Ottawa,” Karlsson said via NHL.com last year. “But it is what it is. I think that we need to find a way to build with a core group that we have here and figure out a way how to be competitive here in the upcoming years.”
Karlsson, 31, scored 35 points in 50 games. His season was cut short due to surgery on his forearm.
Trading Karlsson is problematic because of his contract. Even if he waives his full no-move clause, what team will take on five more years with an $11.5 million AAV? The teams that have cap room aren’t contenders, so why would Karlsson waive to go to a team like Detroit?
Which now brings us to Brent Burns.
“Burns has less term,” Friedman added. “If they get something they like, that is something everyone will have to watch in San Jose.”
Burns, 37, has three years remaining on a deal that hits the cap at $8M. Unlike Karlsson, he only has a modified no-trade but it will still take eating of his cap hit to get something done. Per CapFriendly, he must submit a three-team list on July 1.
This season, Burns recorded 54 points in 82 games.
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