Erik Karlsson Would Fit in Perfectly with Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins would be loaded, but stable with Erik Karlsson.
Since the first night of the 2023 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been locked in the chase for three-time Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson.
Nothing is a guarantee quite yet, but the Penguins have emerged as a front runner and odds-on favorite to land Karlsson over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Karlsson is also reportedly in favor of Pittsburgh as his next home, but where would he fit in the lineup?
The Penguins already have a veteran offensive defenseman in Kris Letang on the top line and quarterbacking the power play.
There may only be one puck to go around, but Karlsson would be a huge boost and perfect fit for the Penguins’ blue line.
Assuming this deal between the Penguins and San Jose Sharks comes to fruition, at least Jeff Petry would have to be going the other way.
That is exactly where Karlsson can fill in at normal 5-on-5 play; second line right defense, likely alongside fellow Sweden native Marcus Pettersson.
As Karlsson has aged in the NHL, his defensive ability has taken a backseat, but it was his historic offensive production that earned him the Norris Trophy for the 2022-23 season.
Pettersson had a breakout season in 2022-23 and should be ready for more defensive responsibility, pairing him with the offensive guru on the blue line should work wonders.
The Penguins have had a brutal power play for a few seasons now, and if there’s one thing that’s certain, Karlsson can bring a new level of scoring touch with a man advantage.
The issue of only having one puck to go around does enter this argument, but Letang and Karlsson are both veterans who should understand how to lead a second unit to prominence.
If that doesn’t work out, why not play them both on the first grouping? Letang and Karlsson playing with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel sounds almost automatic.
The Penguins may have lost Jason Zucker to free agency, but they nabbed a Stanley Cup Champion in Reilly Smith.
Adding Karlsson would not only give the Penguins another weapon, but at least make them an entertaining group with some new expectations in the final years of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang’s careers.
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