 In his first professional season (2001-02), the Sharks assigned Carkner to their minor league affiliate, the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL).In 74 games, Carkner had three assists, and 335 penalty minutes.He only appeared in 39 games the following seasons after suffering a knee injury in a game against the Utah Grizzlies on January 2, 2003, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.