There were rumours circulating before the NHL trade deadline that Erik Karlsson, who is currently the top scorer for all NHL defensemen this season, would be traded. As the San Jose Sharks are unable to make the playoffs this season, it was believed that the Sharks GM Mike Grier was considering trading Karlsson. <h2>Grier Never Made a Move</h2> Grier never made a move, and Karlsson claims that he was not approached with a trade option. It was reported that the Edmonton Oilers had expressed interest in acquiring Karlsson. TSN insider Pierre LeBrun revealed that both sides could not make the financial aspect work at the time, but they might revisit the possibility in the offseason when both teams have more financial flexibility. LeBrun stated that <q>San Jose got calls from a couple of teams this season on Karlsson, one of them emerging publicly as Edmonton. The Oilers had more than a little interest, but it sounds like the Sharks' unwillingness to retain enough of Karlsson's remaining contract essentially stopped both teams from taking the conversations to the next level. The rebuilding/re-tooling Sharks will listen again on Karlsson this offseason, no question about it. But again the biggest question will be: How much can the Sharks eat on those final four years to make a trade happen?</q> The rebuilding Sharks will be open to listening to offers on Karlsson again this offseason. However, the biggest question that remains is how much the Sharks are willing to eat on his remaining contract to make a trade happen. With Karlsson's long-term $11.5 million annual salary, it is understandable that potential trade partners like the Oilers may hesitate to take on the contract, despite his impressive defense this season. The Sharks may need to consider eating up to 50% of his deal to facilitate a trade, if they want to rebuild and re-stock their personnel. <a href='https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/report-details-of-failed-erik-karlsson-trade-between-oilers-and-sharks' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Hockeyfeed</a>