Erik Karlsson Boosts Penguins' Defense Ranking
The Pittsburgh Penguins defense is much more formidable with Erik Karlsson.
Kyle Dubas made a splash when he brought Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month. That trade not only brought the reigning Norris Trophy winner to Pittsburgh, but it cleaned up a defense that had been overstocked with NHL-caliber defensemen.
The result? The Penguins, on paper, have one of the best defense cores in the Metropolitan Division and one of the most exciting and highly anticipated top-four defensemen in the NHL.
The addition of Karlsson will affect the entire Penguins blue line. Kris Letang may receive the most significant boost from Karlsson's presence. Adding a 100-point player to the defense should allow Letang to play within himself more often instead of overextending to create offense.
Karlsson will also likely garner more ice time than Jeff Petry did last season and head up the Penguins' top power play, allowing Letang more time to regroup mid-game.
On the third pairing, P.O. Joseph enters his second season as an everyday NHL player, and one of Chad Ruhwedel or Ty Smith will earn a shot at the other spot. Ruhwedel and Smith served as replacement players for the Penguins last season, combining to play 56 games between the two. With the top two pairings potentially playing over 40 minutes a night, the Penguins' third pairing will have a lighter workload than most around the league.
With all these changes, the Penguins may have one of the best defenses in the Metropolitan Division.
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