A little over a week ago, Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson posted a 'thank you' message directed at Sharks fans.

Most speculated that the tweet was a signal he would leave San Jose in free agency this summer.

Not so fast.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman dropped this nugget during the second intermission of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final:

"The word is that Erik Karlsson is taking a long, hard look at deciding if he wants to stay in San Jose. And I think we're going to know in about a week if he's going to stay or if he's going to investigate his other free agency options. He wants to win. The Sharks are perennially in it. They've made a good impression on him.

"I think we're going to know in about a week if it's San Jose or free agency."

It might be a good sign for the Sharks that Karlsson spent Saturday with teammate Marcus Sorensen watching the Liverpool-Tottenham Champions League final, though the location of their hangout is not known.

Sportsnet reporting EK65 taking a long, hard look at staying with San Jose, and today he was hanging out with Marcus Sorensen. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/PbtIsdkdhs — Ali Thanawalla (@Ali_Thanawalla) June 2, 2019

According to Sportsnet, Karlsson is expected to be the most coveted free agent on the market on July 1, and reportedly is expected to be pursued by the New York Rangers.

In his first season with the Sharks, Karlsson battled injuries and appeared in just 53 games, but still managed to rack up 43 assists. Karlsson found the net just three times.

[RELATED: Maple Leafs, LA Kings talking Marleau trade]

If the Sharks can keep Karlsson in the fold, it will go a long way to helping them get past the Western Conference Final.