Going two NHL games without registering a point isn’t typically considered a slump for an NHL defenceman unless your name happens to be Erik Karlsson that is. Heading into the San Jose Sharks’ game on Jan. 15th the 28-year-old Swedish blue liner had gone pointless in his two previous outings. But considering he posted 25 points in his 14 appearance before that, yes he’s in a bit of a drought.
It took the two-time Norris Trophy winner several weeks to get rolling this season after his blockbuster trade to San Jose from the Ottawa Senators shortly before campaign faced off. Karlsson was well known around the league for his scoring exploits and that’s one of the reasons the Sharks took a risk on him. San Jose gave up a multitude of draft picks and young prospects to acquire the Ottawa captain even though he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Some fans also felt the club didn’t really need more point production from the blue line since the Sharks already have one of the top-scoring defenders in the league in Brent Burns. There’s no guarantee Karlsson will re-sign with San Jose, so the club could be left out in the cold when the summer arrives. Still, they’re hoping he inks a new deal and will help the squad challenge for the Stanley Cup this spring. If he doesn’t, they’ll definitely live to regret it considering what the return for him might be before next month’s trade deadline.
While Karlsson hasn’t exactly been igniting the opposition goal light on a regular basis this season with just three markers, he’s definitely been an elite playmaker with 38 assists in 45 games and has been scoring at a rate of 0.91 points-per contest. He hasn’t been a liability in his own end either as he was a plus-eight. Karlsson wasn’t acquired for his defensive prowess though as offense comes first with him. As of Jan. 13th he had scored 129 goals in 672 regular-season games and added 430 assists for 559 points and was a minus-28. He’d also added six goals and 37 points in 48 playoff outings.
During the first quarter of 2018/19 Karlsson notched just 10 points and it seemed he wasn’t really happy or comfortable in San Jose. However, it turns out he was just getting used to his new teammates and surroundings and is now feeling quite at home on the west coast. Karlsson recently set a San Jose franchise record by recording at least one point in 14 straight appearances and became the fifth NHL blue liner to notch an assist in 14 consecutive appearances. However, his streak was then snapped as he attempted to equal Paul Coffey’s league milestone of an assist in 17 straight games.
Karlsson’s name was rarely mentioned earlier this season when the topic of the Norris Trophy and league’s best defenceman came up, but he’s now on the tip of everybody’s tongue following his recent spurt. He’s being counted on by head coach Peter DeBoer in all types of game situations as he’s been averaging 25 minutes of ice time per night. Karlsson’s play of late has helped the Sharks in their challenge for top spot in the Western Conference and the Pacific Division. The team has gone 15-3-2 since early December and would have to completely come off the tracks to miss the postseason.
If Karlsson can manage to keep up his current scoring rate he’s on pace to finish the season with five goals and 68 assists for 73 points, which would be the fourth-highest point total of his NHL career. Ottawa missed the playoffs in four of the nine seasons Karlsson played in Canada’s capital, so he’s obviously looking forward to playing this April. However, he also needs to decide on his future plans. If he hasn’t given the Sharks any hint of staying with the club, it’s possible he’s shipped out as a rental player before or at the trade deadline. With the Sharks looking like a legitimate cup contender though, that’s a scenario the club hopes doesn’t happen.