Karlsson wants to be traded from Sharks to Stanley Cup contender

NASHVILLE -- Erik Karlsson wants to be traded to a Stanley Cup contender, and the defenseman is hopeful the San Jose Sharks can make that happen before next season.

"I've played with too many guys throughout my career that are amazing players and should be winners and should have won that never did," Karlsson said at the 2023 NHL Awards media day at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday. "I don't want to be that guy. I want to win. That's not to say that I'm going to win. I want an opportunity to win. If that opportunity is not in San Jose right now within my timeline, then that's just the unfortunate part of business. That's not to say that I don't like it there or they don't want me there or we don't want this to work. It's just that's just the way it is."

Karlsson, who has a full no-move clause in the eight-year contract he signed with the Sharks on June 17, 2019, said he doesn't have a preferred team in mind.

"You just have to make the playoffs and you have a chance to win," he said. "Look at Florida. They shouldn't have made the playoffs. They did and they went to the Cup Final. They beat Boston. We all thought Boston was going to win. There are no guarantees, I just want a chance."

At 33 years old and with four years remaining on his contract, Karlsson doesn't think he'll get that chance with the Sharks.

San Jose has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the first four seasons of Karlsson's contract. It was seventh in the Pacific Division with 60 points this season despite Karlsson's 101 points, the most by a defenseman in 31 years.

Karlsson Video: The crew on the future for Erik Karlsson voted as the best defenseman in the NHL for a third time at the NHL Awards here Monday. He also was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, which goes to the most valuable player as voted on by the players. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid won the Lindsay.

"I came to San Jose and I signed there to win," Karlsson said Sunday. "Things didn't unfold the way we wanted to. If I have to do that again and move my family somewhere else, I will because I play this sport to win. It's not going to be pleasant, it's not going to be easy, but I will make whatever decision I have to make that I think is best for my professional career."

Karlsson said there is no animosity between him and the Sharks and that he has had preliminary conversations with San Jose general manager Mike Grier about a potential move.

"[Grier] has been great," Karlsson said. "We've had great communication ever since he took over (July 5, 2002). I think he's a very bright guy and I think he's doing the right thing for San Jose. I love it. I wish I was 10 years younger and I could be part of it because I think that's how good they are with the coaching staff and everybody they put in place. But the reality is I'm not at that stage. So we haven't really talked about specifics. I think it's still fairly early in conversations. I think there's a lot of teams that want to do it, not necessarily a lot of teams that can do it. I'm not looking to be greedy. I'm not looking to do what is best for me personally, I want professionally for it to be a good situation. That's what I'm going to base my decision on and I hope that sooner rather than later we can figure out what those options are."

Karlsson said he would understand if he had to start next season with the Sharks, but that wouldn't be ideal for several reasons, many of them personal because he'd have to sell his house and move his family.

"But at the same time it's not like I'm unhappy in San Jose," Karlsson said. "I like it there. My family likes it there. Our kids were born there. We're well situated."

None of that matters to him now.

"It's part of the business, I want to win," Karlsson said. "I'm 33 years old now. I feel like I still have a lot left to give and I think I can do that for any given team that is provided. It [stinks], but it's part of the business. At the end of the day, I started playing this sport because I love it and I still love it, but right now it's about business and I want to win. I want to win."