Erik Karlsson May Finally Be Thriving in Pittsburgh for One Specific Reason
Photo credit: NHL.com
It appears that Erik Karlsson has finally turned the corner in Pittsburgh and found his groove, and if there's one man he can thank, it's likely Dan Muse.
Minutes after the Pittsburgh Penguins finished a 3-0 season-opening victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, Erik Karlsson showed a smile that had been way too infrequent for most of his tenure with the Penguins.
It wasn't the type of game one would be used to seeing from Karlsson: plodding, low-scoring, and two empty-netters. But he dominated.
The three-time Norris Trophy winner felt confident and in charge, as he did throughout training camp and the preseason.
Mike Sullivan Never Brought Out the Best in Erik Karlsson
Sometimes, a change of pace on the bench is all that is required. Karlsson and former head coach Mike Sullivan just never seemed to agree on how he was to be used, and the stats bore that out.
He admits his first few years as a Penguin were disappointing, and he knows about the trade rumors that followed.
This fall is different. For the first time during his stint in Pittsburgh, Karlsson entered camp healthy and on track.
"I had a really good summer," Karlsson said. "I was healthy throughout most of it. I dealt with some things after the season, but it cleared up fast. I had a good camp. It was a different training camp, with all the bodies we had. I didn't play many games, which I didn't mind. It felt like everything was in sync."
He sat out training camp last year due to injury and struggled through a miserable October before finally getting into gear.
His solid finish to the 4 Nations Face-Off hinted at a return that now might be announcing itself.
Karlsson looks astonished to be playing this freely under new head coach Dan Muse, who looks determined to let him play to his personality rather than suppress it.
Sullivan opened up Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to be championship versions of themselves all those years ago. Now, maybe it's Muse's turn, and Karlsson's opportunity, to pen the same type of redemption.
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