Pittsburgh Penguins Have Erik Karlsson’s Decision To Make – Hockey Writers – Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey and general manager Kyle Dubas has some decisions to make this summer. His team did well this season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, thanks in large part to defenseman Erik Karlsson. With a year left on his contract, Dubas will have to decide if extending Karlsson makes sense going forward.

Karlsson’s Best Season with the Penguins

Karlsson’s first two seasons with the Penguins were a bit of a disappointment. He wasn’t bad, but he didn’t match the 101-point campaign he endured with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23 before he arrived in Pittsburgh. This season, he looked like the player the Penguins expected him to be. He played in 75 regular season games, scoring 15 goals and 66 points.

This was Karlsson’s best season as a Penguin. He didn’t make his game too difficult, and he let the game come to him. He played well in all three areas and never tried to force the offense. His best season also coincided with coach Dan Muse’s first season in the Steel City. Muse played to Karlsson’s strengths and used him where he was most active.

There was always a sense that Karlsson and former coach Mike Sullivan were at odds. Under Sullivan, Karlsson made poor decisions with the puck, and he seemed disinterested most of the time.

This season, Muse used Karlsson on the penalty kill (PK) a lot, which was a good decision. Prior to 2025-26, he had played just 78 minutes at PK for the Penguins. This season, he played 140 PK minutes. His skating ability and his ability to see lanes that offensive players sometimes miss are what make him a natural penalty killer.

He also has a good idea of ​​where opponents want to put the puck and where they want to put their bodies on the man advantage. He was good on the boards and could win puck battles.

Will the Penguins Give Karlsson an Extension?

There is no question that Karlsson has been successful under Muse this season, but he will be 37 years old when his new contract begins. Dubas has made it clear that his goal is to return his team to being a serious contender for the Cup.

Captain Sidney Crosby is in the same boat. His contract also expires at the end of next season. But Crosby will be signed as long as he wants to keep playing. Karlsson’s extension may not make much sense for the team as it builds for the future.

Dubas has also been clear about his plan to make the team smaller, and he could try to sell Karlsson this summer for a good return or a young player, but Karlsson has a complete no-movement clause and would have to agree to any possible deal. He has said how much he likes to play in Pittsburgh, but at 36 years old, he has yet to win a Stanley Cup, and he might accept a move to a playoff-ready team.

The problem is that the Penguins lack depth on the right side, making it difficult to replace Karlsson. Harrison Brunicke has shown promise, but he won’t be ready for top four minutes next season. Right now, the Penguins are a better team with Karlsson on the roster, and it would make sense to re-sign him to a one- or two-year deal this summer, at least until the organization can see what they have in Brunicke.

It may be a while before Dubas decides how he wants to move forward, but for now, he has to hope that Karlsson can successfully carry this season into 2026-27.