Sharks Re-Sign Defenseman Erik Karlsson

SAN JOSE, CA - San Jose Sharks (
@SanJoseSharks
) general manager Doug Wilson announced today that the club has re-signed defenseman Erik Karlsson (
@Erikkarlsson65
) to an eight-year contract extension. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We are extremely pleased that Erik and his wife Melinda have committed to the San Jose Sharks and that they have done so prior to July 1," said Wilson. "Players with Erik's elite level of talent are rare and when they become available, it's important to be aggressive in pursuing them. He is a difference maker who consistently makes the players around him better. We are pleased that he has been proactive in addressing his injury from last season and are looking forward to him being part of our organization for a long time to come.
"I also want to thank Hasso Plattner and our ownership group for their continued commitment and financial support to put a talented team on the ice that Sharks fans can be extremely proud of. With their support, we have been able to create a winning culture and maintain San Jose as a place that players want to play."

The two-time Norris Trophy-winning blueliner recorded 45 points (three goals, 42 assists), 22 penalty minutes, 169 shots on goal and a plus-six rating in 53 games during his first season with San Jose. He finished second amongst Sharks defensemen, behind Norris Trophy finalist Brent Burns, in goals (tied), assists, points and shots on goal, and his 42 assists were tied for ninth amongst all League rearguards. Karlsson, who was selected to play in the 2019 NHL All-Star Game held in San Jose, finished third amongst all Sharks skaters in helpers and power-play points (20, tied). Additionally, he became the fifth defenseman in NHL history to record at least one assist in 14 consecutive appearances, while his eight-game assist streak from Dec. 7-22 was tied for the longest by any NHL defenseman in 2018-19 and one shy of the Sharks franchise record of nine.

Karlsson, 29, posted 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) and 51 shots on goal during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing third amongst all NHL defensemen in points (tied with Burns) and assists. His nine helpers during the first round vs. Vegas set a franchise record for most assists in a single series, and he became just the second defenseman in Sharks playoff history to score an overtime, game-winning goal (Andrei Zyuzin).
Since entering the NHL in 2009-10, no defenseman has scored more points than Karlsson, with 563 (129 goals, 434 assists) in 680 NHL games (Burns ranks second with 532 in 717 games). He has finished amongst the NHL's top-10 leading scorers twice (2011-12 [10th]; 2015-16 [4th]) and amongst the NHL's top-10 assist leaders four times (2011-12 [3rd]; 2013-14 [7th]; 2015-16 [1st]; 2016-17 [6th].
Karlsson captured the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's best defenseman, in 2012 and 2015, and was the runner-up for the award twice (2016, 2017). He was named as a Calder Trophy finalist in 2011.
In the last nine seasons, Karlsson has finished in the top-20 in points for NHL defensemen eight times, leading the League four times and finishing in the top-10 six times in that span.

Selected in the first round (15th overall) by Ottawa in the 2008 NHL Draft, Karlsson has been named an NHL First-Team All-Star four times (2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17) and been selected to six NHL All-Star Games. He served as the captain of the Senators from Oct. 2014 until his trade in Sept. 2018 and led his team (or tied for the lead) in scoring each of his final five seasons with the club, becoming the first blueliner in NHL history to do so in five straight seasons.
Karlsson has registered 53 points (eight goals, 45 assists) and a plus-four rating in 67 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, reaching both the Eastern Conference Final (with Ottawa in 2017) and Western Conference Final (with San Jose in 2019). Since the 2017 playoffs, no NHL blueliner has recorded more postseason points (34) or assists (30) than Karlsson.
The six-foot, 190-pound native of Landsbro, Sweden has also crafted a distinguished international career. He has represented his native Sweden at the U-18 World Juniors (2008 - bronze medal), World Jr. Championships (2009 - silver medal), World Championships (2010 - bronze medal), 2014 Winter Olympics (silver medal) and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
He was acquired by San Jose, along with forward Francis Perron, from Ottawa in exchange for Chris Tierney, Rudolfs Balcers, Dylan DeMelo, Josh Norris, a 2019 second round-draft selection, a 2020 first-round draft selection, and a 2021 second-round selection on Sept. 13, 2018.