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A22 SPORTS
Friday 14 September 2018
Sharks acquire Erik Karlsson from Senators

By JOSH DUBOW make the Stanley Cup Final and shape our future with
AP Sports Writer in 2019. The Senators also a faster, younger and more
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The will receive a first-rounder competitive team on the
San Jose Sharks acquired in 2021 or 2022 if Karlsson is ice," Senators general man-
two-time Norris Trophy-win- on an Eastern Conference ager Pierre Dorion said. "We
ning defenseman Erik Karls- roster this season. are going to build a culture
son from the Ottawa Sena- "Ultimately, to acquire a of consistency which will al-
tors on Thursday, making a player like this, you have low this team to sustain bet-
blockbuster addition to the to give to get and we are ter performance over the
roster after missing out on losing some quality players long term."
high-scoring center John but also some very good Karlsson had nine goals
Tavares in free agency. people," Wilson said. "All and 53 assists last season
General manager Doug of the players leaving our for Ottawa. He also led the
Wilson stood pat for most of organization have a very team in average ice time
the summer after Tavares bright future in this league (26:44, 3rd in the NHL), was
signed with Toronto before and we wish them all the second in blocked shots
pouncing when another best." (120) and takeaways (55)
superstar was available Karlsson, 28, has one year and second in scoring with
the day before San Jose left on his contract and has 62 points (nine goals, 53 as-
opened training camp. been the subject of rumors sists). Karlsson also has six
Karlsson joins one of the dating to the trade dead- goals and 31 assists in 48
top defensive groups in the line. The Senators finally got career playoff games.
league alongside 2017 Nor- a deal done on the eve of It's just the latest big trade
ris Trophy winner Brent Burns In this Jan. 30, 2018, file photo, Ottawa Senators' Erik Karlsson training camp. made by Wilson, who has
(65) moves the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes during the
and shutdown defense- first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C. In Karlsson, whose 518 also acquired Joe Thornton,
man Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Associated Press points are by far the most Burns and Evander Kane in
"It's extremely rare that of any defenseman since trades over the years.
players of this caliber be- the NHL's top defensemen Chris Tierney, Josh Norris he entered the NHL in 2009, The Sharks made the ad-
come available," Wilson and stand as a better team and Rudolfs Balcers, defen- San Jose gets the differ- dition without giving up a
said. "The word 'elite' is of- today than we were yes- seman Dylan DeMelo and ence-maker it was hoping top-six forward or top-four
ten thrown around casually terday. We are thrilled to two conditional draft picks. for when it pursued Tava- defenseman. The 24-year-
but Erik's skillset and abili- welcome Erik and his wife, The Sharks also get forward res in free agency. Karls- old Tierney played the big-
ties fit that description like Melinda, to San Jose." Francis Perron.Ottawa also son won the Norris as the gest role for San Jose of
few other players in today's San Jose is sending the gets a second-round pick league's best defenseman any of the players traded
game. With Erik, Brent Burns Senators a first-round pick in 2021 if Karlsson re-signs in 2012 and 2015. to Ottawa, spending much
and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, in 2019 or 2020, a second- with the Sharks. That pick "This is the right moment of the year as a third-line
we feel we have three of round pick in 2019, forwards becomes a first if the Sharks for us to rebuild our team, center. q

Gretzky: NHL players in Olympics 'much better for everyone'

Unwilling to break up the to see the best younger sport of ours," he said. "And
season, the NHL barred its players in the world, he 30-40 years from now, we'll
players from playing in this said, but added: "There's look back and say, 'You
year's Winter Games at Py- a different level. If we can know what? That's where
eongchang, South Korea. send the best players in the we started and that's
It's not clear whether the game it's always much bet- where we were and that's
league will change its ter for everyone." where we are today.'"
stance for the 2022 Games He was in Beijing in his role Gretzky will also attend a
to be hosted by Beijing. as global ambassador for preseason game between
"I really think it's a real spe- Beijing's two-year-old Kun- the Boston Bruins and Cal-
cial stage. There's some- lun Red Star of the Russia- gary Flames in the southern
thing really unique and based Kontinental Hockey city of Shenzhen, marking
special about playing for League. the second consecutive
your country and there's Though he said it may take year the NHL has played
nothing bigger than play- years to truly establish ice in China. A Summer Olym-
Former NHL hockey player Wayne Gretzky attends a promotion- ing for your country in the hockey in China, he likened pics superpower, China is
al event for the Beijing Kunlun Red Star hockey team in his role Olympic Games," Gretzky a local Winter Olympics to spending heavily to pro-
as global ambassador for the team, part of the Russia-based
Kontinental Hockey League, in Beijing, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. said. the catalyzing effect of the mote hockey and other
Associated Press "So, you know with the Win- sport taking off in the U.S. winter sports in hopes of
ter Olympics being here in following the underdog leaving its mark on the Win-
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN better for everyone." China, it would be so won- American team's famous ter Games.
Associated Press Speaking to The Associ- derful for our sport world- win over the Soviet Union Gretzky declined to pick
BEIJING (AP) — Wayne ated Press on Thursday, the wide and for the people of at the 1980 Games at Lake a favorite for this season's
Gretzky says the NHL should National Hockey League's China to see the best play- Placid. Stanley Cup winner, citing
again allow its players to all-time leading scorer said ers in the world on center "So I think the Red Star Kun- the high level of parity be-
compete in the Winter he hopes the league and stage." lun team and what they're tween the teams. At least
Olympics because sending players' association can Olympic ice hockey would doing, along with the Win- 12 of the league's 24 teams
the world's top ice hockey "somehow figure this out" still be exciting without the ter Olympics in 2022, that have a shot at winning, he
players is "always much during upcoming talks. NHL, giving fans a chance hopefully will jumpstart this said.q