BREAKING: Karlsson Back Soon? Sharks Star to Be Re-Evaluated Sooner Than Expected

ANAHEIM — Erik Karlsson should be back sooner than originally expected.

“His strength is coming back fast,” San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner said today.

In late January, Karlsson had surgery to fix a small muscle tear in his left forearm.

There was no timetable given for his return at that time, except that he would be re-evaluated in mid-March.

“I think he’s going to be ahead of schedule at the end of the day,” Boughner said last week.

We can move that timetable forward now: Boughner told San Jose Hockey Now that Karlsson should be re-evaluated sooner than the original mid-March forecast.

If that re-evaluation goes as expected, that could clear the way for a very quick return for Karlsson.

Just my guess, but could we actually see Erik Karlsson back on the ice with the San Jose Sharks by mid-March?

There’s no doubt that San Jose could use Karlsson back. The two-time Norris Trophy winner has notched 26 points in just 33 games this year and still leads all Sharks defensemen with eight goals.

They’re 1-4-3 since Karlsson got shelved on Jan. 22.

But help could be on the way for a San Jose Sharks squad struggling to stay afloat in the Western Conference playoff race.

Today, Erik Karlsson, along with Kevin Labanc and Adin Hill, hit the ice back in San Jose.

For Karlsson and Labanc, this is their first time back on the ice in a while.

While Boughner was optimistic that Karlsson would be able to return sooner than expected, he’s not as hopeful with Labanc, who underwent shoulder surgery in mid-December.

Labanc hasn’t had a setback though, according to Boughner.

“I think he’s eight weeks post-op. Shoulders traditionally take 12 weeks at least. He’s at least another month away. Give or take a few days. But yeah, just skating is a good sign,” Boughner said. “He’s got a lot more strength training to do. I think his rotation is coming back. He’s almost at full rotation. But you gottat build that shoulder back up.”

Meanwhile, Hill continues to be day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Hill last played on Jan. 22.