Eliteprospects
Sweden Erik Karlsson
#65 Pittsburgh Penguins / NHL - 24/25
1-time J20 SM Gold Medal 1
1-time Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal 1
1-time U20 WJC Silver Medal 1
1-time Olympic Silver Medal 1
1-time TV-Pucken Bronze Medal 1
2-time World Championship Bronze Medal 2
3-time NHL Best Defenseman (Norris Trophy) 3
5-time NHL First All-Star Team 5
1-time Olympic All-Star Team 1
1-time Olympic Best Defenseman 1
1-time Olympic Most Points 1
1-time U18 WJC Best Defenseman 1
1-time U20 WJC All-Star Team 1
1-time U20 WJC Best Defenseman 1
1-time World Championship All-Star Team 1
Date of Birth
May 31, 1990
Position
D
Age
34
Height
6'0" / 182 cm
Place of Birth
Landsbro, SWE
Weight
190 lbs / 86 kg
Nation
Sweden
Shoots
R
Youth Team
Boro-Vetlanda HC
Contract
26/27
Cap Hit
$11,500,000 Powered by
NHL Rights
Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins / Signed
Drafted
2008 round 1 #15 overall by Ottawa Senators
Agency
PREMIUM

Karlsson is known for his offensive ability. He is a defenseman blessed with excellent hockey sense, confidence and coolness. Everything looks so easy and natural when Karlsson has the puck under control in the offensive zone. He is a terrific passer and an outstanding push rusher.

The knock on Karlsson is his defensive game and size. However, his all-world skating and anticipation allows him to be alright defensively.

The fact that Karlsson likes to get involved physically and can deliver rather good hits is a big plus. Now that he's added a considerate amount of bulk, his physical play is more effective. - Elite Prospects (2015)

Father: Jonas Karlsson
Brother: Pelle Karlsson
Uncle: Tomas Nord
Cousins: Jonas Nord & Anders Nord

© Photo: Dan Hickling

Use/Embed statistics

Erik Karlsson Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2004-05 Boro/Vetlanda HC U16 - -* -* -* -* -* -* |
Boro/Vetlanda HC J20 J20 Div.1 -* -* -* -* -* -* |
2005-06 Boro/Vetlanda HC J20 J20 Div.2 4* 1* 5* 6* 18* -* |
IF Troja-Ljungby J18 J18 Elit -* -* -* -* -* -* |
Sweden U16 (all) International-Jr 5* 0* 2* 2* 8* -* |
2006-07 Södertälje SK J18 J18 Allsvenskan 2* 0* 1* 1* 33* -1* |
Södertälje SK J20 J20 SuperElit 10* 2* 8* 10* 8* 8* |
2007-08 Frölunda HC J18 J18 Elit 2* 1* 1* 2* 0* 0* |
Frölunda HC J18 J18 Allsvenskan 1* 0* 1* 1* 2* 0* | Playoffs 2 0 1 1 10 -2
Frölunda HC J20 J20 SuperElit 38* 13* 24* 37* 68* 11* | Playoffs 5 1 0 1 4 3
Frölunda HC Elitserien 7* 1* 0* 1* 0* 2* | Playoffs 6 0 0 0 0 0
Sweden U18 WJC-18 6* 0* 7* 7* 4* 8* |
Sweden U18 (all) International-Jr 17* 3* 11* 14* 22* -* |
2008-09 Frölunda HC J20 J20 SuperElit 1* 0* 2* 2* 2* 4* |
Frölunda HC Elitserien 45* 5* 5* 10* 10* 3* | Playoffs 11 1 2 3 24 2
Borås HC HockeyAllsvenskan 7* 0* 1* 1* 14* -4* |
Sweden U20 WJC-20 6* 2* 7* 9* 0* 6* |
Sweden U20 (all) International-Jr 15* 3* 10* 13* 16* -* |
2009-10 Ottawa Senators NHL 60* 5* 21* 26* 24* -5* | Playoffs 6 1 5 6 4 -4
Binghamton Senators AHL 12* 0* 11* 11* 22* 0* |
Sweden WC 9* 1* 3* 4* 2* 2* |
Sweden (all) International 10* 1* 3* 4* 2* 3* |
2010-11 Ottawa Senators NHL 75* 13* 32* 45* 50* -30* |
2011-12 Ottawa Senators NHL 81* 19* 59* 78* 42* 16* | Playoffs 7 1 0 1 4 0
Sweden WC 8* 3* 4* 7* 2* 3* |
Sweden (all) International 8* 3* 4* 7* 2* 3* |
2012-13 Jokerit SM-liiga 30* 9* 25* 34* 24* 12* |
Ottawa Senators NHL 17* 6* 8* 14* 8* 8* | Playoffs 10 1 7 8 6 0
2013-14 Ottawa Senators “A” NHL 82* 20* 54* 74* 36* -15* |
Sweden OG 6* 4* 4* 8* 0* 5* |
Sweden (all) International 6* 4* 4* 8* 0* 5* |
2014-15 Ottawa Senators “C” NHL 82* 21* 45* 66* 42* 7* | Playoffs 6 1 3 4 2 -2
2015-16 Ottawa Senators “C” NHL 82* 16* 66* 82* 50* -2* |
2016-17 Ottawa Senators “C” NHL 77* 17* 54* 71* 28* 10* | Playoffs 19 2 16 18 10 13
Sweden “A” WCup 4* 1* 3* 4* 2* 2* |
Sweden (all) International 4* 0* 1* 1* 2* 2* |
2017-18 Ottawa Senators “C” NHL 71* 9* 53* 62* 36* -25* |
2018-19 San Jose Sharks NHL 53* 3* 42* 45* 22* 6* | Playoffs 19 2 14 16 8 -3
2019-20 San Jose Sharks “A” NHL 56* 6* 34* 40* 16* -15* |
2020-21 San Jose Sharks “A” NHL 52* 8* 14* 22* 18* -18* |
2021-22 San Jose Sharks “A” NHL 50* 10* 25* 35* 14* -14* |
2022-23 San Jose Sharks “A” NHL 82* 25* 76* 101* 36* -26* |
2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 82* 11* 45* 56* 44* 4* |
Sweden “C” WC 10* 6* 5* 11* 0* 9* |
Sweden (all) International 10* 6* 5* 11* 0* 9* |
2024-25 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 53* 5* 28* 33* 18* -15* |
Sweden NHL 4 Nations -* -* -* -* -* -* |
Projected NHL 82* 8* 43* 51* 28* -23* |
2023-24 NHL stats powered by NHL.com

Erik Karlsson Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2006-07 Småland TV-Pucken 8* 4* 7* 11* 20* -* |
2007-08 Sweden U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial 4* 0* 1* 1* 8* 0* |

Erik Karlsson Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 1 12* 0* 11* 11* 0.92* 22* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
Ivan Hlinka Memorial (Hlinka Gretzky Cup) 1 4* 0* 1* 1* 0.25* 8* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
HockeyAllsvenskan 1 7* 0* 1* 1* 0.14* 14* -4* | 0 * * * * * *
International 5 38* 14* 17* 31* 0.82* 6* 22* | 0 * * * * * *
International-Jr 3 37* 6* 23* 29* 0.78* 46* -* | 0 * * * * * *
J18 Allsvenskan (J18 Nationell) 2 3* 0* 2* 2* 0.67* 35* -1* | 1 2 0 * 1 * 1 * 0.50 * 10 * -2 *
J18 Elit (J18 Region) 2 2* 1* 1* 2* 1.00* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
J20 Div.1 1 -* -* -* -* -* -* -* | 0 * * * * * *
J20 Div.2 1 4* 1* 5* 6* 1.50* 18* -* | 0 * * * * * *
J20 SuperElit (J20 Nationell) 3 49* 15* 34* 49* 1.00* 78* 23* | 1 5 1 * 0 * 1 * 0.20 * 4 * 3 *
SM-liiga (Liiga) 1 30* 9* 25* 34* 1.13* 24* 12* | 0 * * * * * *
NHL 16 1 055* 194* 656* 850* 0.81* 484* -114* | 6 67 8 * 45 * 53 * 0.79 * 34 * 4 *
NHL 4 Nations 1 -* -* -* -* -* -* -* | 0 * * * * * *
OG 1 6* 4* 4* 8* 1.33* 0* 5* | 0 * * * * * *
Elitserien (SHL) 2 52* 6* 5* 11* 0.21* 10* 5* | 2 17 1 * 2 * 3 * 0.18 * 24 * 2 *
TV-Pucken 1 8* 4* 7* 11* 1.38* 20* -* | 0 * * * * * *
WC 3 27* 10* 12* 22* 0.81* 4* 14* | 0 * * * * * *
WCup 1 4* 1* 3* 4* 1.00* 2* 2* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-18 1 6* 0* 7* 7* 1.17* 4* 8* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 1 6* 2* 7* 9* 1.50* 0* 6* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Erik Karlsson Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
08/06/2023
08/06/2023 Confirmed San Jose Sharks Pittsburgh Penguins
06/17/2019
06/17/2019 Extension San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks
09/13/2018
09/13/2018 Confirmed Ottawa Senators San Jose Sharks
09/26/2012
09/26/2012 Confirmed Ottawa Senators Jokerit
06/19/2012
06/19/2012 Extension Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators
05/07/2009
05/07/2009 Confirmed Frölunda HC Ottawa Senators
Player Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2009, 2 #32 overall by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL Draft

Drafted 2008, 2 #61 overall by Mississauga St. Michael's Majors in the CHL Import Draft

Cult/Star player for Boro/Vetlanda HC

Cult/Star player for Frölunda HC

Cult/Star player for Frölunda HC J20

Cult/Star player for Jokerit

Cult/Star player for Ottawa Senators

Cult/Star player for San Jose Sharks

Cult/Star player for Sweden

Career transactions
- 2012-09-26 • Signed to a lockout contract by Jokerit | Full story
- 2012-06-19 • Re-signed to a seven-year contract by the Ottawa Senators | $45,500,000 | Full story
- 2009-11-27 • Recalled by the Ottawa Senators from the Binghamton Senators | Full story
- 2009-10-27 • Assigned to the Binghamton Senators by the Ottawa Senators | Full story
- 2009-05-07 • Signed to a three-year entry-level contract by the Ottawa Senators | $3,900,000 | Full story
- 2008-08-25 • Signed to a one-year pro contract by Frölunda HC

Other memorable dates
- 2014-10-02 • Named Captain by the Ottawa Senators
- 2012-06-20 • Announced as the winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman
- 2009-12-19 • Scored 1st career NHL goal (vs. Minnesota vs. Niklas Bäckström)
- 2009-10-03 • Made NHL debut (at NY Rangers; 1 assist, 17:41 TOI, -1, 5 SOG)
- 2008-03-01 • Scored 1st career Elitserien goal (vs. HV71 vs. Stefan Liv)
- 2008-03-01 • Made Elitserien debut (vs HV71; 1 goal GWG, 2 SOG, 8:48 TOI)
- 2007-12-28 • Dressed for 1st career Elitserien game (logged no ice time)

2009 Elite Prospects Scouting Report (archived)
Karlsson is a very offensive minded defenseman. He is blessed with excellent hockey sense, confidence and coolness. Everything looks so easy and natural when Karlsson has the puck under control in the offensive zone. He is a true power play specialist that usually gets the puck on net and also delivers very good passes. Furthermore, he is mobile and a capable skater with good agility and technical skills.
The knock on Karlsson is his defensive game and size. While he is very cool and confident in the offensive zone, he sometimes chooses difficult solutions in the defensive end. He should play easier and be closer on his opponent. While he Karlsson likely will not be much taller, he should definitely add more strength and muscles. The fact that Karlsson likes to get involved physically and can deliver rather good hits is a big plus. With added strength, his physical play would be much more effective.