Erik Karlsson
The Sharks signed Erik Karlsson to a max contract this off-season officially making it his home for the next stage of his hockey career. San Jose invested a significant amount of their salary cap, time, and prospect pool to acquire and retain the all world blueliner.
With that much committed to a skater and not to mention the on and off ice impart EK65 brings to the Sharks. It’s not all that far-fetched to suggest that Karlsson would look good dawning the “C” crest on his sweater next season.
Karlsson is no stranger to the responsibilities of captain of an NHL team. In four of his 9 seasons in Ottawa the 29-year-old as the team’s leader. EK65 constantly dealt with the pressures that a Canadian market can provide, while also performing at a game-breaking pace on the ice.
The freshly maxed out Shark is relatively new to the Bay Area and isn’t quite as in tune with the history of the franchise as some of the others in the locker room might be. However this could be a good thing for a team looking to spark some new life into their Stanley Cup contention status. And awarding the captaincy to a world-class talent like EK65 would definitely signal that.