Sharks coach Peter DeBoer left the door open for injured defenseman Erik Karlsson to return on the team's upcoming road trip.
Karlsson will travel with the Sharks for their final road trip of the regular season, DeBoer told reporters Sunday at SAP Center. But, DeBoer said, he didn't know if Karlsson would be able to play Tuesday and/or Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers, respectively.
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DeBoer told reporters Tuesday that Karlsson's skating schedule had been cut back but clarified Wednesday it did not indicate the blueliner had suffered a setback. The injured defenseman, who has not played since aggravating a groin injury on Feb. 26, skated Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
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The two-time Norris Trophy winner, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has scored 45 points in 52 games. Whether or not he plays before the end of the regular season on April 6, Karlsson will have played fewer games than any other 82-game season in his career.
With Saturday's win over the rival Vegas Golden Knights, the Sharks improved to 14-9-1 in the 24 games that Karlsson has missed because of injury.