How did Erik Karlsson’s production get cut in half?
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32 Comments
Obvious, but, defensemen get most of their points from assists. Assists require someone else to finish the play. Hasnt been much of that with this team this year, so yeah, Im certainly not going to blame Karlsson for his point total.
Jake is not returning. He will take a great offer with a contender. Pitt is no longer…a contender. Let it go. I know…it’s hard.
Letang falling down in OT sums up the whole season.
The chances of Jake coming back this summer seem slim to nill. How often do players sign back with their previous team after being rented out at the deadline? I kind of remember Keith Tkachuk doing this… was it with St Louis? Clearly, many years ago. In the past 10 years, has anyone of significance "come home" that same summer after being traded at the deadline? I'll be shocked if Jake does. It has nothing to do with his relationship with Crosby. I'm just thinking about the realistic chances based on history.
I don’t think there’s a single defenseman who could have saved the Pens season. Not EK, not Luke Hughes, not Kale Makar, etc. You’d need a guy like Pronger at his peak.
towards the end of his employment in Ottawa, he had a break by himself, he was looking to pass.
There was nobody, and you could hear him yelling some expletive during the broadcast.
That sounds kind of familiar
😂😂
Thanks DK! Despite the drop off in points – which was foreseeable – I still really like Karlsson being a Penguin. My hope for this season was that he would bring the creativity and offense for a 3rd and 4rd line who are constructed to defend. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. But seeing the talent his has I'm hopefull he will be a offensive force next season. My relatively inexperienced eye also tells me he's pretty decent on the defensive side. That's a pleasant surprise. Just in a regular way of speaking. From a schedule standpoint I found it fascinating how little time players have or get to recuperate. By that, I pointing towards events like the Jake-trade or last season when Letang's father past away. It's pretty human for Sid to need a week or two to fully get over that. In the meanwhile he has to play like 4 to 8 games?! In such a small time span the perspective about someone can turn around almost 180 degrees. I understand that's part of the job and culture, and to a centain extent I like it, but from a human perspective that's also pretty harsh.
Did Erik Karlsson, Granlund, Reilly Smith, Graves, and Rackell all start sucking overnight because of bum Mike Sullivan?
Ottawa could trade Josh Norris $7.95AAV and Jakob Chychrun $4.6AAV to the Pens for Erik Karlsson and PO Joseph. EK65's cap hit is either $10AAV or still $11.5AAV?
Trade Ryan Graves to the Kraken for Brian Dumoulin. Or trade Graves back to the Devils. Or just get rid of Mike Sullivan!
If Erik put up 60 pts that would he remarkable. His 100+ pt years were anomalies and suggesting he comes to a team with the talent he was always gonna take a massive step back. The teams lack of performance around him could be argued as a massive reason for him not hitting a 60-70pt target this year. Hes playing unbelievably well and idk where this "giveaway" comment is coming from when hes clearly gonna have the puck on his blade VERY often. I dont feel nearly as concerned with TOs by Erik as i do with Geno, Reilly, Rickard, Graves, and Letang. They are woeful with the puck graves looks borderline terrified to have it at any point.
I mark it up as failure of the Pens as a team . he has to have a person in position to pass to . The Pens don't know how to use him . Coaching sux .
My quick opinion and stance on EK: He came onto this team which had an unbelievable amount of chemisty/history/success and he did not want to step on the proverbial toes of the established team. Historically, EK has taken the team and acted as a leader (C in OTT and A in SJ) and I think he has been a bit reluctant to do so thus far. My belief is that we will see much more of this next year, and we already have seen more of this through this season. If you compare his game today vs his game in October, it does look a good bit diffierent. My hope and wish for EK in 24-25 is that he takes the bull by the horns and carries himself as one of the "core 4". I think next years EK looks much different. Maybe not 102 points, but a severe upgrade from 23-24. Cheers!
He's on pace for 56 points. His career average is 67 per 82 played.
It's a bit of a drop-off, but overstated in this fan base.
Don't really understand the comparison with a freakish outlier year. That was never gonna be close to sustainable.
The issue is more that he earns way more than he's worth.
I'm unsure why you think Karlsson collapsed. If you look at his previous seasons they were awful except last season. He's been damaged goods since Ottawa's run to the final.
I think you're doing the same thing with Russell Wilson by ignoring his long term stats. Russ has had one bad season – his first in Denver. Opposite of Karlsson. Start checking reality, not perception DK.
He's playing one of his defensively strongest years and still producing just slightly off his average pace. I really like him in Pens and he's really not the problem for struggles we've had this season. We need three things – 1) 3rd and 4th line depth scoring, 2) net-front presence for 1st and 2nd lines and 3) fresh powerplay coaching
Until Sully goes, nothing will change. Blame the players all you want.
Totally different systems. He played more there and he was the only offense that the SJS had. Apples and oranges….
Game night!
EK is a great player and I’m glad he’s on the team. He’s producing well in my mind. My issue is that it’s not production worth $11M. He would need to be producing at atleast 1pt/game average to get close to justifying that amount of money
Great point DK. This Pens team has almost no net presence.
Karlsson can only get assists if guys can finish. That's obviously a problem of ours. Hardly EK's fault. Also, if no one is screening the goalie, tough for ANYONE to score, let alone our d-men
And to the J1Q, people thought Mason was a lock to resign, no way we bring in Russ or any outside QB and no chance we trade Diontae. No one knows, circumstances change. We just need Omar to learn hockey and then let him work his magic for the Pens.
The Pens are not elite anymore, they are not offensively talented compared to the rest of the league..
This team makes passing look like a chore, and it just doesn't make any sense. They often spend little time in the offensive zone b/c they just dump it off hoping someone can get there. Rinse and repeat
new to this channel a few days ago and listen every morning now. great idea in doing a 10 min daily shot. perfect way to start the day
Either every single Penguins player is having a down year, or maybe, just maybe – the coaching and the system aren’t getting enough out of their players.
long summer holiday drinking beer
EK didnt collapse. He seems to be skating/trying/playing as well as ever. He is not old and slowing down.. Goalies can stop almost everything they see these days and opposing goalies can see most everything….our little net front presence Jake is gone. Pens are easy to play against because they are slower, so they lose..it's as simple as that. They only have one way to play and that is play fast and that just doesnt work any more. Carter is looking as fast as anyone out there..What does that tell ya? There are many problems with our Pens..none of them have anything to do with EK
Oh no dude not the bobbleheads, dude!
He's not the only player who performed well for his former team but began to fade after moving to Pittsburgh. This has happened too many times and that's why I think the coach is to blame. Sullivan can't adapt his coaching to today's hockey. Unfortunately, the management seems to be under his spell and will never fire him. As long as he's the coach I don't believe in any rebuild.
If turnovers counted for points, he’d be in 1st.
he's playing great. just becuase he isn't on pace for another 100 point season doesn't mean he's "falling off". he's having one of his best defensive seasons yet.
EK got Sullied, like many others. That’s what you get when you “play the right”
Letang, Karlsson and Malkin = Joke of the saison ! 🫣😖😣