Sharks Sign Karlsson to 8-Year Extension

The San Jose Sharks have signed Erik Karlsson to an eight-year contract extension worth $92.0 million ($11.5M AAV).

Karlsson was set to become an unrestricted free agent in two weeks but is now signed through the 2026-27 season. Karlsson will be 37-years-old when the contract is up and joins Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Classic as Sharks defensemen signed long-term.

The Swedish defenseman earns a $5.0 million raise after posting 45 points (3G / 42A) in just 53 games. His season got off to a slow start offensively and ended up missing two games due to suspension, nine with a lower-body injury and 18 more with a late-season groin issue. When he was healthy, Karlsson continued to be one of the best offensive-defensemen in the NHL but it was among the worst point-per-game seasons of his career:

Karlsson did not miss a game from 2014-to-2016 but has missed a combined 45 games over the last three seasons. Despite playing far fewer games than most defensemen, Karlsson is tied for third at his position in points (178) over that span. First is his teammate, Brent Burns, who has 226 and the most goals as well (57).

His new $11.5M cap-hit makes Karlsson the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL by $500K.

It also represents 13.9 percent of the Sharks’ cap-space (per PuckPedia.com).

Karlsson grades out as the No.3 right-handed defenseman in the NHL according to CorsicaHockey Player Ratings. Our Fantasy Hockey projections for Karlsson for 2019-20: