Sharks' Karlsson seeking trade to contender: 'I just want a chance'

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson doesn't want to end his career without winning a Stanley Cup and is hopeful he'll be traded to a contender this summer.

"I've played with too many guys throughout my career that are amazing players and should be winners and should have won that never did," Karlsson said Sunday, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I don't want to be that guy. 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."

Karlsson enjoyed a resurgent 2022-23 campaign in which he suited up for all 82 games for the first time since 2015-16. He netted 25 goals and 101 points, becoming the first blue-liner to hit the century mark since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.

Thanks to his efforts, Karlsson is in line to win his third career Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman at the 2023 NHL Awards on Monday.

Karlsson said he thinks plenty of teams would like to acquire his services but acknowledged that few squads could pull it off. The 33-year-old has four seasons left on his deal and carries a hefty $11.5-million cap hit.

Though the ball is largely in Karlsson's court because of his no-move clause, he said he doesn't have his heart set on a particular team.

"You just have to make the playoffs, and you have a chance to win," he said. "Look at Florida. They shouldn't have made the playoffs. They did, and they went to the Cup Final. They beat Boston. We all thought Boston was going to win. There are no guarantees, I just want a chance."

Karlsson hasn't appeared in a playoff game since 2019. The Sharks have missed the postseason in each of the last four campaigns.

"I'm the best when you need to be the best. But if I don't have the chance to get to the place where you need to play the big games, then I might as well not do it," he said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

"I could go through 82 games a year and be good, but I want to play when (it) matters."

Karlsson was also named a first-time finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award in May, which goes to the "most outstanding player" as voted on by members of the National Hockey League Players' Association.

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