Through two seasons now spent in a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater, Erik Karlsson has not missed a single game.
How much of a boost that’s offered for the Penguins, who have failed to qualify for the postseason since Karlsson’s been on the roster, is up for debate.
In fairness, the Penguins’ playoff drought transcends Karlsson’s tenure in Pittsburgh.
Yet the arrival via trade of the three-time Norris Trophy-winning blue-liner, renowned far more for his offensive prowess than stalwart defensive presence, simply has not moved the needle for the Penguins.
“Erik, I think, is, and will forever be, a polarizing figure,” said president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas, who swung a blockbuster trade for Karlsson with the San Jose Sharks in August of 2023.
“My view would be that we expect him to be one of the people that pulls us from where we’re at and into contention.”
Dubas’ remarks were made April 21.
They also included a performative assessment of Karlsson that sounded far from a glowing endorsement.
“I had a long meeting with Erik on (April 18),” Dubas said. “My push to him would be that his actions have to match his ambitions. That’s in consistency, preparation, training like every other player on the team. I think he’s shown throughout the year that he has another level to him, at times playing for us, certainly playing for Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was a player that you would watch and say, ‘This guy can help any team, not only contend but probably win.’
“It’s emblematic of the rest of the group, as well. There were moments of great play with too many inconsistent. We have to push him to get there. That’s the expectation that’s dictated by his talent level and the impact he can make. It’s a joint venture. So, yes, some of it is on the team. Part of it is on Erik. We have to find our way through.”
Over his full 82-game 2024-25 campaign, Karlsson scored 11 goals (hitting a milestone with his 200th career goal on April 8) with 42 assists, posting a minus-24 rating while averaging 23 minutes, 14 seconds of nightly ice time.
Enjoying a top-four defensive deployment, Karlsson’s on-ice partner varied over the course of the season, particularly after the Penguins traded Marcus Pettersson to the Vancouver Canucks mid-year.
His most frequent defensive pairing was with Matt Grzelcyk (695:39 of ice time, per Natural Stat Trick), while toward the conclusion of the season, Karlsson also teamed up with Conor Timmins, acquired March 7 from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the second straight season, Karlsson was a mainstay on the Penguins’ power play, averaging 2:27 per game (the most of any defenseman) while chipping in 15 points on the man-advantage.
Karlsson, who turns 35 May 31, helped that unit rebound from 30th in the NHL in 2023-24 to sixth.
While he came nowhere near reaching the 100-point plateau he eclipsed in 2022-23 with the Sharks, which earned him his third Norris Trophy, Karlsson’s offensive production as a Penguin has been entirely satisfactory.
However, it’s been the defensive lapses that accompany Karlsson’s game, which, for two seasons now, have at times seriously handicapped the Penguins.
In 2024-25, perhaps no single moment better encapsulated those tendencies than an ugly offensive-zone turnover committed with 5.7 seconds remaining in the second period March 2 vs. Toronto that led to a Maple Leafs goal as time expired.
The end result for the Penguins that night was a 6-5 overtime loss.
One day after the Penguins’ season concluded once more without a trip to the playoffs, Karlsson reflected on his individual campaign and that of the club.
“I think it’s been a tough year for everyone,” Karlsson said April 18. “Obviously, (it hasn’t) gone the way that we expected it to or wanted it to. Personally, I think it’s been lots of ups and downs — too volatile than you would have liked. Would have liked to have kept a little bit more consistency throughout the season. I missed all of our training camp and struggled early on with my body, but it started to feel better as the year went along, and it feels great now.
“So, it’s unfortunate that it didn’t go the way that we were all hoping for. I think we have a good team in here. I enjoyed all of the guys in here, on a personal level. It’s been a pleasure, and I had a lot of fun, even though it has not been fun.”
Karlsson is on the Penguins’ books for a $10 million cap hit through the 2026-27 season.
Regarding Dubas’ comment that he expects Karlsson to be “one of the people that pulls us from where we’re at and into contention,” fans may want to take into account coach Mike Sullivan’s recent departure for evidence of how rapidly plans can change.
NHL free agency commences July 1, and Karlsson, whose contract contains a full no-movement clause, will almost certainly be considered as a trade option by Dubas.
However, that’s nearly two months in the distance.
For now, Karlsson enters the offseason in preparation for a third campaign with the Penguins.
As for how to ensure it doesn’t become the fourth consecutive season bereft of postseason hockey, Karlsson admitted to not having the answer.
“I think consistency is the No. 1 thing,” Karlsson said. “Which is something that we couldn’t find for longer periods of time this year. How you fix it, or what you do moving forward, I think is not a question that I can answer.”
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