Exit Interview: Karlsson’s No. 1 Priority Still Winning, Does That Mean a Trade?

Erik Karlsson has been asked this question in so many ways this season, but we had to ask him again today, because it’s exit interview day.

Are you going to be back with the San Jose Sharks next year?

Like this past season, a probable Norris Trophy-winning campaign for Karlsson, Karlsson will be one of the hottest names on this summer’s trade block.

Karlsson emphasized again today that while he likes it with the San Jose Sharks, his No. 1 priority is still winning. He was also candid with how the Timo Meier trade signaled the direction of the franchise.

These are the highlights of Karlsson’s exit interview, see his full interview here

Erik Karlsson, on the outside trade chatter:

It is what it is, right?

I think there’s gonna be a lot of talks and speculations and stuff, but I remain the same. I don’t really know what the future holds. I can’t predict that, I’m trying to take care of the present, and I think I did a good job of doing that this year. Staying in that and that’s how I’m gonna handle the next little bit as well.

Gonna take some time off enjoy myself and then get back to work and try and do what I feel I have to do to be as successful as possible starting next year.

Karlsson, on if he’s open to going elsewhere if GM Mike Grier tells him that it’s going to take another year or two to turn this thing around for the San Jose Sharks:

Yeah, I don’t know. Like I said, we haven’t really had those discussions yet. We’ll see. I think it was tough losing Timo. I think that hurt, but at the same time, I think that tells us a little bit too on where we’re at. At least that’s the way as a player, you look at it.

I don’t really know too much about all the other stuff and the management stuff, that’s never really been on my mind throughout my career. I’m just enjoying right now being a player and as of right now, I’m going to worry about taking some time off and enjoying myself and be ready to get back to work sometime in May and focus on the things that I can control and that’s pretty much it.

Karlsson, on if his No. 1 focus remains to win games:

I think I’ve been pretty open about that since all this started, that you know, I do want to win. I do feel like I still have it in me to help a team achieve that.

At the same time, I do enjoy it here. I like it here. I always have. We’ll see where it all lines up. Those are things that are kind of not in my hands.

I’m never going to shy away from the fact that I play this game to win. That’s always going to be my No. 1 priority. We’ll see where it goes, but I know that things here are going in the right direction. I know that the future is going to be really good here. When that is, we can’t predict that, unfortunately, and those are things that I don’t really control and can’t do very much about right now.

Karlsson, on if he will play in the World Championships:

I don’t know yet. Physically, I feel great. I could probably do it. But logistically and mentally, I’m gonna have to try and figure that out before I make a definitive decision on that.

I don’t know [when I’ll decide], I’ll wake up one day and [figure it out], but I know it won’t be today and definitely won’t be tomorrow.