The San Jose Sharks traded defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a three-team deal on Sunday, which also included the Montreal Canadiens.
In exchange, the Sharks acquired veteran forward Mikael Granlund and a 2024 first-round pick, as well as winger Mike Hoffman and defenseman Jan Rutta. The Penguins received forwards Rem Pitlick and Dillon Hamaliuk and a 2026 third-round pick; and the Canadiens acquired defenseman Jeff Petry, goaltender Casey DeSmith, forward Nathan Legare and a 2025 second-round selection.
Karlsson is signed for four more seasons at an average annual value of $11.5 million; the Sharks are retaining $1.5 million of his salary per year as part of the trade. He posted a career-high 101 points (25 goals, 76 assists) last season, making him the first defenseman to record 100 or more points since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. In 987 regular-season and playoff games, Karlsson has 814 points — the most of any defenseman since 2009.
The 33-year-old had told the Sharks he wanted to be traded during the offseason. The 2022-23 Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman said at the said at the NHL Awards media day back in in June: “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.”
Sharks GM Mike Grier said: “While it is always difficult to trade a player of the caliber of Erik Karlsson, this trade accomplishes several goals for our franchise. It adds two forwards to our roster who have proven ability to produce offensively at the NHL level and solidifies our NHL defense corps. Additionally, acquiring another first-round pick gives us the opportunity to continue fortifying our development system with high-end prospects and provides us some financial flexibility to add players as we see fit in the future.”
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