Erik Karlsson believes the Pittsburgh Penguins defense has a certain comfort level with each other that allows them to move around the lineup more freely. The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that forward Matt Nieto has undergone a successful surgery on his knee and will be out of the lineup for six to eight weeks. Nieto has already been absent from the Penguins lineup for over a month, but this will keep him out until late February or early March. The last time Nieto suited up in a game was November 30 against the Tampa Bay Lightning where he recorded his third assist of the season. In 22 games played, Nieto has those three assists plus a goal for four total points while averaging 11:37 of ice time per game. The Penguins have utilized Nieto in a depth forward fashion on the fourth line and helping anchor the penalty kill with his solid defensive ability. When free agency kicked off this past summer, Nieto signed a two-year deal with the Penguins at $900,000 per season. At 31-years-old, Nieto was added as a key piece of the Penguins revamped bottom six forward group. Over his 11-year career in the NHL, Nieto has appeared in 673 games and recorded 86 goals and 117 assists for 203 total points. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. Valtteri Puustinen Odd Man Out on Penguins Right Side [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/podcasts/valtteri-puustinen-odd-man-out-pittsburgh-penguins-right-side] Michael Bunting Fits Penguins Needs but Not Worth Price [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/michael-bunting-fits-pittsburgh-penguins-not-worth-price] Penguins' Jesse Puljujarvi to Join WBS on PTO [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-jesse-puljujarvi-wilkes-barre-scranton-pto] Penguins Prospect Impresses at World Junior Championship [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-prospect-impresses-world-junior-championship] Penguins vs. Bruins: Looking for Proper Rebound [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-boston-bruins-looking-proper-rebound] * undefined * undefined