Sharks fans aren't the only ones who like the team's Stanley Cup chances more after San Jose acquired two-time Norris Trophy-winner Erik Karlsson. The bookies do, too.
Prior to the trade, Las Vegas oddsmaker Bovada listed the Sharks as having 16-1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup, as OddsShark's Stephen Campbell pointed out Friday. Bovada now lists San Jose at 12-1, tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the eighth-best odds in the NHL.
The Sharks' odds are second only to the Vegas Golden Knights (11-1) among Pacific Division teams, and fourth behind the Winnipeg Jets (17-2), Nashville Predators (11-1), and Golden Knights in the Western Conference. Bovada also gives San Jose a 7-1 chance of winning the Western Conference.
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With Sharks free-agent target John Tavares in the fold, Bovada lists the Toronto Maple Leafs as the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup at 7-1. The Tampa Bay Lightning are tied with the Jets for the second-best Stanley Cup odds.
In a deal that sent two roster players, two draft picks, two prospects, and two more conditional picks to the Ottawa Senators, the Sharks acquired Karlsson on the eve of training camp two weeks ago. He suited up for his first preseason game Thursday, assisting on rookie center Antti Suomela's goal in the first period and leading the team in ice time.
With 2016-17 Norris Trophy winner already in the fold, San Jose is set to become the first team since the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks to have two Norris Trophy winners on their roster. That season, the Ducks won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history, a feat the Sharks hope to replicate next June.