Erik Karlsson says he’s good to go for NHL All-Star Game

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SAN JOSE — Erik Karlsson will be playing in the NHL All-Star Game at SAP Center on Saturday.

The Sharks defenseman said Thursday at the NHL’s All-Star Game media day that despite a lower body injury that kept him out of San Jose’s last three games, he will suit up for the Pacific Division team in Friday’s skills competition and Saturday’s four-team, 3-on-3 tournament.

Karlsson, who didn’t walk with any noticeable limp Thursday, will be joined by teammates Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski, as the three Sharks players received loud ovations from the fans in attendance after they were introduced at the City National Civic Auditorium.

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Karlsson had been dealing with the nagging injury since earlier this month, when he sat out two practices and a large chunk of the third period of his team’s 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 15.

“I feel good,” Karlsson said. “It’s the All-Star Game and I’ll able to do everything, so that’s a good start.”

While it’s good news for the NHL that one of its marquee players will be able to take part in this weekend’s festivities, it’s even better news for the Sharks that Karlsson’s health has improved since he missed games against Tampa Bay, Florida and Washington before the break.

Karlsson has been instrumental in the Sharks’ resurgence over the last six weeks, recording 28 points in 20 games since Dec. 2 — tied with Burns in that time for the most points among all NHL defensemen.

Not including the last three games Karlsson missed because of injury, or the two games when he was suspended in December, the Sharks went 15-4-1 from Dec. 2 to Jan. 16.

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The Sharks entered the break six points back of Calgary for first place in the Pacific Division. The Sharks do not play again until Feb. 2 when they host the Arizona Coyotes.

“It’s a good sign for us,” Pavelski said. “After this all-star weekend, we’ll have a few more days of rest. He’s a big part of this team and he will be going forward. It’s just a good sign that things are going in the right direction.”

Saturday, the Pacific Division All-Stars will play the Central Division at 5:15 p.m. and the Metropolitan Division will play the Atlantic Division at 6:15 p.m., with the winners meeting in the final.

These 3-on-3 games have been played a high tempo at times since the format was introduced at the 2016 All-Star Game in Nashville. For the most part, though, the pace is much slower than it would be for a normal regular season, limiting the chance Karlsson could have a setback.

“It’s in San Jose. It’s for this organization, this city, this community and this fan base, and I’m looking forward to that,” Karlsson said when asked why it was important for him to be a part of the event “I want to do my part for this weekend to give them back something.”

Karlsson’s long term future with the Sharks, though, remains murky.

Karlsson, who would be the NHL’s most attractive unrestricted free agent should he choose to go to market on July 1 of this year, will be able to sign an eight-year contract with San Jose after the league’s Feb. 25 trade deadline. Other NHL teams can only sign him to a seven-year deal.

Karlsson is in the final year of a seven-year, $45 million deal he signed with the Ottawa Senators in June 2012.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson reportedly met with Karlsson’s agent, Don Meehan, while the team was in Florida. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston said on Hockey Night in Canada last week that Wilson and Meehan would meet again sometime, “around the All-Star Game or a little bit afterwards.”

“We have no timetable on anything. Whatever goes on is going to be handled privately,” Karlsson said. “Doug Wilson has been great with us ever since we got here. He’s been very respectful. I appreciate that a lot, both me and my wife do. When the time comes for a decision to be made, whenever that is, I think they’ve done everything they possibly can to give us the most information we need to make the right decision.”

THINKING ABOUT A FRIEND

Pavelski said Thursday he was thinking about former Sharks teammate Ryane Clowe, who stepped down earlier in the day as head coach of the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers — an affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs — because of concussion-related issues. Clowe is from St. John’s, Newfoundland.

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Sharks reach agreement with depth centerman on two-year deal Concussions prematurely ended Clowe’s playing career during the 2014-15 season, just a year after he signed a five-year, $24.25 million contract with the New Jersey Devils.

Clowe, 36, was drafted by the Sharks in the sixth round in 2001 and played 423 regular season games with San Jose over eight seasons from 2006-2013, collecting 271 points.

“Didn’t like seeing that news because I know how much he cares about the game and the opportunity he had to go coach in his hometown, and just the job that he was doing,” Pavelski said. “It was pretty cool to see him step in and coach at a high level like that.

“Hopefully he recovers and can have another chance.”

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