The Sharks were only without defenseman Erik Karlsson for two games. But there was no mistaking in those two contests how pivotal he has become to San Jose.
“You take him for granted a little bit, then when he’s out, you realize,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer admitted to the media on Saturday.
In his return to the ice in a 7-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers, you never would’ve known the two-time Norris Trophy winner missed any time at all. Karlsson tallied four points on Saturday, and led the team with a plus-5 rating.