PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – His first game was against the Rangers in Madison Square Garden in the year where the Pens were the reigning Stanley Cup champs for the third time and now in his 1,000th game he’ll look to keep the Pens in playoff position against Boston.
“It’s going to be a fun game, not only for that but that it’s a meaningful game for us,” Karlsson said. “I’m happy that we’re in the situation we’re in. To play the 1,000th game under the circumstance that it will be tomorrow will be the most important thing.”
Karlsson’s season would be the most popular ride for thrill seekers at Kennywood. Even within the flow of games, his impact can swing from ‘what are you doing’? to ‘look what he just did’! Such was the case on Thursday night.
The 33-year-old admits it, saying it’s been a rollercoaster season for everyone. This has been the fun part of the ride. It’s a playoff push he hasn’t been a part of for a couple seasons. A three-time Norris Trophy winner and twice runner-up, Karlsson has 52 points in 79 games this year. He’s 13th in scoring among defensemen, normally a good season. However when you are coming off a career-high 101 points and 25 goals, it hasn’t lived up to expectations.
Regardless of the stats, the one thing that his coach and teammates have learned about the 15-year veteran, he’s not dull or boring.
“It’s fun, I like it,” said defenseman PO Joseph. “He brings energy. It shows he has a passion for the game that is really high. He’s going to be mad, he’s going to be happy in a matter of a second, but that’s what hockey is all about.”
“The energy he brings is great, kind of lifts us up,” said Pens forward Drew O’Connor. “When guys are tired, he brings energy. He’s definitely loud, you can hear him throughout the building. He’ll let you know what he thinks between periods.”
“It’s good to have guys that are vocal like that, that push you. It’s fun being his teammate.”
“It’s obviously a great feeling to be able to have lasted that long,” Karlsson said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have played with a lot of guys that have reached that milestone. I know what a grind it is.”
Joseph said he has contagious energy and he shows it with anyone, doesn’t matter your age or where you come from. Energy seems to be a buzz word when describing one of the best offensive defensemen of his generation.
“I think he brings a lot of energy to the rink,” said Pens captain, and one-time Eastern Conference Finals opponent, Sidney Crosby. “It’s one thing you notice right away. I think you need that. You have different personalities on every team, but he brings a lot of fun, a lot of energy. That’s so important. It’s a great trait to have and it’s definitely something that’s been welcomed here.”
“I think he brings a ton of energy to the rink every day,” said Pens head coach Mike Sullivan, who paused and chuckled about a Karlsson memory he didn’t want to share. “He’s a busy guy, let's just say that.”
“I think he loves people. He loves conversation. He loves hockey. And so, he brings a ton of energy every day. I think that energy is contagious. It's good to have those types around your dressing room on the bench, in between periods. It's important energy to have as a group, and so, he's certainly a guy that brings a lot of it.”
Karlsson hasn’t played in the postseason since 2018-19. The Pens haven’t won a post-season series since 2017-18. His energy might help change both trends.