Karlsson had 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games but did not play when the Sharks were eliminated by the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on May 21.
"I was very fortunate to be able to play pretty much all the games, except the last one, in the playoffs at a reasonable level, even for my standards. I think that's great," Karlsson said May 24. "Everybody is dealing with something. You have to play through things. I was able to do that. For that, I'm proud and grateful. It's nothing major. It's just going to take some time and figure everything out. It should be something that's easy to deal with. That's as much as I know."
Karlsson, a 29-year-old who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, missed 27 of the final 32 regular-season games for the Sharks with groin injuries but had 45 points (three goals, 42 assists) in 53 games.
"He certainly wasn't 100 percent, but he gave us all he could," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said May 24. "I think we had [Karlsson] healthy for maybe six weeks, and he showed what he was capable of. There's such a fine line between being injured and being hurt. Guys will bring whatever they can, that's the nature of hockey players. You have to protect players from themselves, and also admire their heart and commitment."
Karlsson was at Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Oakland on Wednesday between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors and was seen walking with crutches.