SAN JOSE -- Erik Karlsson will make his debut for the San Jose Sharks against the Calgary Flames in a preseason game at SAP Center on Thursday.

"Just getting him up to game speed," coach Peter DeBoer said after the morning skate when asked what he wanted to accomplish by playing Karlsson. "He's a veteran guy in his first game with a new group, so I'm not looking for anything other than for him to get comfortable.

"We're trying to get up to game speed, trying to see some of our systems in play."

San Jose traded forwards Chris Tierney and Rudolfs Balcers , defenseman Dylan DeMelo , unsigned forward Joshua Norris, two NHL Draft picks and two conditional draft picks to Ottawa for Karlsson and forward Francis Perron , who was assigned to the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League.

Karlsson made his first appearance for the Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday, when he skated on the ice to debut their new third jersey during a stoppage in play the first period of a preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Karlsson won the Norris Trophy as the League's top defenseman in 2011-12 and 2014-15 and finished second in 2015-16 and 2016-17. He had 62 points (nine goals, 53 assists) in 71 games with Ottawa last season.

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"I think the buzz that he's here has seeped into the room," DeBoer said. "I don't think that the buzz of the game tonight with him; I think that the fact that he's here and he's out on the ice with us every day -- there's no doubt that's been a boost to our group right from the minute he walked in."

Since Karlsson's arrival, Justin Braun , Marc-Edouard Vlasic's longtime defense partner, has been moved to the third pair with Brenden Dillon , who played last season with DeMelo. Brent Burns and Joakim Ryan have remained together.

"It's been pretty easy so far," Vlasic said of playing with Karlsson. "It's easy when you come in and you're playing with elite players. You can adapt pretty quickly. I played with guys of his caliber before throughout my career, so it won't be any different for me to adapt to his style of play."

Forward Joe Pavelski said he's looking forward to seeing Karlsson in game action.

"We've had a good week together," he said. "In practice we simulated a few little scrimmages and spent a little more time on the power play. As often as you do it throughout the regular season, it's still getting back into it, where it just comes and you're going to spots and making reads and not thinking a whole lot. It's good to get some extra meetings in, and once we get out there we can really start building as well."

The Sharks play their final preseason game Sunday at Vegas and open the regular season at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 3 (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN).

"Everything we do now is to get ready for Wednesday," Vlasic said, "so having everybody in, working on special teams, working on everything we need to do to get ready is good."