
The Sharks acquiring star defenseman Erik Karlsson from the Senators on Thursday shook the hockey world. Karlsson too was shocked by the news.
Once the trade became official, Karlsson took to the podium in Ottawa to address the media. The two-time Norris Trophy winner fought back tears while taking questions.
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“I think they made it very clear in what direction they were going [in],” Karlsson said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t part of that, and I respect that. It’s their decision and I wish them nothing but the best. I think that they’re going to do wonderful things.
"They have a good group of guys down there that are extremely motivated to keep pushing forward and doing whatever they have to do to be successful, not only this year but for a long time.
“I was not part of that plan. That’s why we’re standing here today. From my point of view, that’s sad. I never wanted to leave this place. At the same time, I respect their decision. That’s their decision to make and I wish them nothing but the best.”
The Sharks sent the Senators Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo, Josh Norris, Rudolfs Balcers, a 2019 second-round draft pick, 2020 first-round pick, and two conditional draft picks in exchange for Karlsson.
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“This was not an easy situation for us to trade a player of Erik Karlsson’s caliber,” said Pierre Dorion, Senators general manager. “But for us to be where we need to be for the long-term, we had to make this decision at this point in time.”