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Penguins Confident Star Will Return Before Season

The Pittsburgh Penguins believe they will have a healthy star defenseman when the 2024-25 regular season kicks off.

Nick Horwat

Mar 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) shoots the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Mar 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) shoots the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are a week into training camp and are yet to see star defenseman Erik Karlsson skate with his teammates. Karlsson has worked out on his own, but an upper-body injury has put him on the sidelines.

Karlsson’s injury has been labeled as day-to-day by the Penguins, but he is yet to skate with the team and the 2024-25 regular season is closing in. According to head coach Mike Sullivan, there is no need to worry about Karlsson’s status.

Sullivan and the Penguins are confident Karlsson will be healthy and ready to go by opening night on October 9 against the New York Rangers. The Penguins have already played two preseason games with five more on the schedule.

"I'm confident that he is going to make progress here,” Sullivan said. “Our team is working with him here, and I am confident that they will have success."

Karlsson is about to enter his second season with the Penguins after being traded to Pittsburgh from the San Jose Sharks. In his first year with the black and gold, Karlsson didn’t reach his full potential.

While appearing in all 82 games, Karlsson scored 11 goals and 45 assists for 56 total points. People don’t expect him to reach the 100-point plateau again, but more than 56 points is a fair expectation for the future Hall of Famer.

Down the stretch of the season, Karlsson did his a higher gear as the Penguins were pushing for a playoff spot. Four of Karlsson’s goals were game-winners.

Karlsson averaged 24:16 of ice time per game in 2023-24, which was second among Penguins skaters. Only Kris Letang (24:41) averaged more time.

The Penguins have been unable to put together complete lines at training camp with Karlsson on the sidelines. It’s expected he will skate with Marcus Pettersson as his defensive partner and once again quarterback the top power play unit.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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