San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier may be open to hearing offers for Erik Karlsson, but the veteran defenseman said he's staying focused on the task at hand.

"I'm fully invested here at the moment. We are in a situation where we need to win a few games. I'm just worried about the next one," Karlsson told reporters Thursday, according to The Athletic's Corey Masisak. "That's all I can control. All that other stuff, it is nice for you guys to have something to talk about. I'll let you have at it."

Acquiring Karlsson's services would come at a hefty price for any interested party, as he's currently in the fourth season of an eight-year deal with an $11.5-million cap hit. However, the Swede is garnering plenty of hype by leading all defensemen with 10 goals and 24 points through his first 18 games of the campaign.