Erik Karlsson injury: Penguins' $92M defenceman provides big update for season opener

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Oct 05, 2024 18:21 GMT

Pittsburgh Penguins' $92M worth defenceman Erik Karlsson has shared positive news about his recovery ahead of the NHL season opener. After practicing for the third straight day, Karlsson said he feels confident about playing in the first game.

In a video shared by Dan Potash of SportsNet Pittsburgh, Karlsson said:

"The season opener has always been the goal, and it’s looking like that's going to happen. It's going to be nice to get a few practices in with the regular group. Unfortunate situation, but making the best out of the situation, and not too worried about anything."

When asked about his injury, Karlsson explained it was caused by overdoing his summer workouts. He said:

"Just working out, wear and tear." Karlsson said. "Had a really good summer, feeling a little bit too young [laughs] and probably overdid a little bit. This time of the year, being a little bit extra cautious, I think was part of it."

Erik Karlsson, who has been dealing with an upper-body injury, missed training camp and the Penguins' final preseason game against the Blue Jackets. However, he practiced on Friday wearing a regular sweater with the main group.

Karlsson is expected to play a key role on Pittsburgh’s defense and top power-play unit once he’s fully cleared. His return is on track for the Penguins' season opener against the New York Rangers. The game will take place on October 9, 2024, and it will start at 7:30 PM EDT.

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Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the Blue Jackets in Erik Karlsson's absence

On October 4, 2024, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-3 in their preseason finale. The game was held in Columbus, and Erik Karlsson was absent due to injury.

The Blue Jackets started strong, scoring two goals in the first period. Mikael Pyyhtia scored the first goal at 4:25. Cole Clayton added another goal at 5:05, putting Columbus up 2-0. The Penguins quickly responded. Noel Acciari scored at 6:27 to make it 2-1. Rickard Rakell tied the game with a power-play goal at 7:35.

In the second period, the Penguins took charge. Jesse Puljujarvi scored at 5:54, giving Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. Just 12 seconds later, Rutger McGroarty made it 4-2. Acciari scored again at 11:36, increasing the lead to 5-2. Kent Johnson scored for Columbus at 13:15, making it 5-3. Lars Eller then scored one more goal.

In the third period, Eller scored his second goal for the Penguins. His second goal came at 8:16, bringing the final score to 7-3 in favor of Pittsburgh.

The Penguins showed strong teamwork and depth, even without Erik Karlsson.