Outlining Erik Karlsson’s First Season With Penguins
How will the reigning Norris Trophy winner fare in his first season in Pittsburgh?
The whirlwind that has been the 2023 offseason is drawing to a close for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Armed with the most talented offensive defenseman and reigning Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson, the Penguins are looking for a Stanley Cup push re-ignited by their newest addition. Fresh off of the first 100+ for a defenseman since the 1991-92 season, Karlsson seems poised to prove his bounce back season was more than just a temporary resurgence. So, what will Karlsson's first season in the black and gold actually look like?
Games Played
What's stuck out more than the 101 points Karlsson put up last season was the fact that he played in all 82 games. It was the most amount of regular season games played since the 2017-18 season, where he dressed for 71 contests. The talent and production have remained present, but his ability to stay on the ice has severely hampered his offensive output over the past few seasons.
In media availabilities this summer, Karlsson has expressed how difficult it was to go through his unlucky injury spell. He also made it clear just how much joy he found in the game by being able to play a full season.
Coming to Pittsburgh, the organization is hopeful his health issues are in the rear view mirror. Combine that with the motivation and determination Karlsson is bringing, and it's clear he still has so much to prove. Playing another full season of dominance like he did in 2022-23 is not only on the table, but likely.
Offensive Output
Will Karlsson be able to repeat his 101 points in 2023-24? That feels unlikely, given the glut of high-end talent Pittsburgh deploys. However, staying near a point-per-game absolutely remains the expectation for the future Hall of Famer. If he remains healthy, Karlsson will play anywhere from 21-30 minutes a game, alternating with Kris Letang as the number one and two right side defender, and should see his production sustain from last season.
What that means is that the Penguins can expect anywhere from 15-20 goals and 65-90 points and a game-changing defender on every shift.
Power Play Production
27 points.
That's the number of power play points Karlsson put up on a paltry San Jose Sharks team. That number would've been good for a tie with Sidney Crosby for second on the team in power play scoring, only behind Evgeni Malkin.
For a team that needs to rejuvenate their special teams, adding Karlsson is a sure fire way to improve it. While he may not break the 100 point barrier again, he should improve upon his power play numbers. 30+ power play points and leading the Pens to a top-10 special teams unit is the expectation for Karlsson.
Prediction for 2023-24 Season:
Games played: 75
18 goals, 65 assists, 83 points
Power play points: 8 goals, 24 assists, 32 points
The Penguins are going to be icing one of the most potent defensive duos in team history in Karlsson and Letang. The most important thing for both players to make that happen is health. If Karlsson stays on the ice, the Penguins will be one of the most offensively potent teams in the league and he will continue to cement his legacy as one of the best offensive defenders in league history.
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